Extreme Sports Legend Felix Baumgartner Dies in Paragliding Accident

PORTO SANT’ELPIDIO, Italy — Felix Baumgartner, the renowned Austrian skydiver and extreme sports icon, died Thursday afternoon in a tragic paragliding accident. The 56-year-old adventurer reportedly lost control of his parachute during a flight around 4 PM local time and crashed into a hotel pool in the region of Marche, located along the Italian Adriatic coast.

Preliminary investigations suggest that a sudden medical emergency may have caused Baumgartner to lose control. His fall was so rapid that he was pronounced dead before hitting the ground. A young woman in the pool sustained minor injuries from the impact but is not in life-threatening condition.

Baumgartner gained worldwide fame in 2012 when he completed the Red Bull Stratos project, jumping from a height of 39 kilometers and becoming the first person to break the sound barrier unassisted in free fall. He achieved speeds over 1,300 km/h, setting three world records that solidified his status as a legend in extreme sports.

In addition to his space jump fame, Baumgartner had previously captivated audiences with daring BASE jumps, including one from the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro and another from the Millennium Tower in Vienna.

Baumgartner’s death has sent shockwaves through the sports community, with many athletes and fans expressing their sorrow on social media. Longtime sponsor Red Bull released a statement honoring his legacy, highlighting his fearless spirit and determination to conquer the seemingly impossible.

The exact cause of the accident is still under investigation, and authorities are conducting autopsies to determine whether a heart attack or other medical issue was involved.