Felix Baumgartner, the Austrian daredevil who stunned the world in 2012 by skydiving from the edge of space, has died at the age of 56. He was killed in a motorised paragliding accident over Porto Sant’Elpidio, a coastal village in Italy’s eastern Marche region.
According to local reports, Baumgartner fell near the swimming pool of a hotel while flying. Massimiliano Ciarpella, the town’s mayor, said preliminary information suggested the extreme sportsman may have suffered a sudden medical emergency while in flight. An investigation is underway.
Tributes poured in for the man whose boldness inspired millions. “A symbol of courage and passion for extreme flights,” said Mayor Ciarpella, as fans around the world mourned the loss of a modern-day adventurer.
Baumgartner’s 2012 space jump
Baumgartner gained global recognition in October 2012 when he ascended to the stratosphere in a specially designed helium balloon and leapt from an altitude of over 39km (128,000 feet). The mission, backed by Red Bull Stratos, aimed to explore the limits of human endurance at the edge of space.
The feat was breathtaking. Baumgartner became the first person to break the sound barrier in freefall without mechanical assistance, reaching speeds of 1,357.6 km/h (843.6 mph). Millions watched the event live across the globe.
At a press conference after the jump, he reflected, “When I was standing there on top of the world, you become so humble. You don’t think about breaking records anymore… the only thing that you want is to come back alive.”
What do we know about his career?
Baumgartner’s extreme career was filled with record-breaking stunts. In 1999, he earned fame for two contrasting jumps: the world’s lowest base jump from the 30-metre-high hand of Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer statue, and the world’s highest parachute jump from the Petronas Towers in Malaysia.
He continued pushing boundaries with a dramatic flight across the English Channel in 2003, using a custom-built carbon-fibre wing suit. His stunts blended engineering, athleticism, and sheer fearlessness, earning him the nickname “Fearless Felix.”
In the hours before his fatal crash, Baumgartner had posted a video on social media working on the motor of his paraglider. Another post, timestamped around 14:30 local time, showed a full windsock and the caption “too much wind.”
Fans have flooded his final posts with tributes and memories.