Felix Baumgartner, the Austrian thrill-seeker most famous for his record-breaking stratospheric skydive in 2012, has died in a paragliding crash in Italy. He was 56.
Fatal Crash in Porto Sant'Elpidio
As reported by local Italian news source La Repubblica, Baumgartner was flying over Porto Sant'Elpidio, a seaside town in central Italy, when he allegedly fell ill during the flight. He lost control of his glider and plummeted into a hotel swimming pool, injuring a woman who had non-life-threatening injuries.
Baumgartner did lose consciousness immediately after the crash and was in cardiac arrest almost immediately. Rescuers tried to revive him, but he was found dead at the scene.
Only days earlier, Baumgartner had posted photographs and videos of his vacation in Italy on Instagram, including clips of him tightening his paraglider.
Baumgartner's sudden demise was a sad day for his fans, but it was also a haunting reminder of how quickly disaster can happen, even to a seasoned professional in high-risk sports.
Breaking Barriers from the Edge of Space
Baumgartner's name was forever remembered in extreme sports after his unbelievable Red Bull Stratos jump in October 2012. He reached an altitude of almost 39 kilometers (approximately 24 miles) above the Earth in a helium balloon before jumping out in a custom pressure suit.
While coming down over New Mexico, he attained a speed of 843 mph, making him the first human being to cross the sound barrier in free fall. TMZ Sports said the record was televised live to the entire world, making him an icon in science and adventure sports communities.
His jump mentor was the very same Air Force Colonel Joseph Kittinger, who had previously held the record since 1960. Baumgartner's jump not only established a new high mark in skydiving but also supplied useful data to the fields of aerospace safety and high-altitude parachute systems.
Fearless Adventurer's Legacy
Felix Baumgartner was not just someone who wanted to explore things differently. He's also an innovator who pushed the boundaries of human capacity and technology. He always pours his heart into everything he does, especially in sports that not everyone wants to try.
Along the way, he made dozens of BASE jumps, skydives, and wingsuit flights, constantly pushing for the next big adventure. Battered by criticism at times for his dangerous exploits, Baumgartner stood firm in his view that life was meant to be lived to the fullest, and sometimes that meant living outside gravity's rules.
Originally published on sportsworldnews.com
