Austrian Daredevil Felix Baumgartner Dies Paragliding Italy

Felix Baumgartner, the renowned Austrian extreme sports pioneer best known for his record-breaking 2012 skydive from nearly 39,000 meters where he became the first person to break the sound barrier in free fall, tragically died in a paragliding accident in central Italy. The 56-year-old lost control of his motorized paraglider near Porto Sant'Elpidio in the Marche region, possibly due to a sudden medical issue, and crashed into a wooden structure near a hotel pool. Despite emergency responders' efforts, Baumgartner died instantly at the scene. His historic jump earned him world records for the highest manned balloon altitude, highest free fall, and fastest speed during free fall, and the event was watched by millions globally. Baumgartner was on vacation in Italy at the time, and his death marks a tragic end to a life spent pushing human and technological limits in extreme flight. His legacy extends beyond the stratosphere jump to numerous daring feats, including skydiving across the English Channel and BASE jumping worldwide.