Felix Baumgartner dead at 56: Skydiver famous for space jump dies in paragliding tragedy after crashing into pool
FELIX BAUMGARTNER has died aged 56 after crashing into a pool in a paragliding tragedy.
The Austrian skydiver became a household name when he jumped to Earth from a helium balloon in 2012.
He set world records for skydiving an estimated 24 miles and reaching an estimated top speed of Mach 1.25 (843.6mph), becoming the first person ever to break the sound barrier without vehicular power.
But Baumgartner’s latest adventure ended in tragedy as he plunged to his death while attempting another stunning feat.
According to Sky Austria, the extreme sports lover was in Porto Sant’Elpidio, Italy, when disaster struck.
Baumgartner had been flying in a motored paraglider when he suffered a “sudden onset of illness.”
This caused him to lose control, with Baumgartner’s glider crashing to the ground and into a hotel swimming pool.
He was reportedly killed instantly in the tragic accident.
Meanwhile, a hotel employee was also injured during Baumgartner’s fall.
They were said to be struck by the paraglider as it hit the ground.
The employee was rushed to hospital and is said to have suffered neck injuries.
Baumgartner’s accident came just hours after several tragic final posts on social media.
One showed him working on the glider that led to his death, with the ace captioning his post: “Man at work.”
While another, posted on Instagram Stories, showed a field with Baumgartner commenting: “Too much wind.”
Following the shock news of his death, fans quickly paid tribute to Baumgartner on social media.
One said: “RIP legend.”
Another declared: “Can’t believe, am so sorry for his friends and family.”
One noted: “We will all miss you Felix.”
Another added: “Shocked by the news, RIP.”
Baumgartner was renowned for his feats in parachuting and base jumping, having scaled the world’s tallest buildings and even skydiving across the English Channel.
But his biggest and most famous feat came in 2012 when he used a helium balloon to soar 24 miles in the air.
Millions tuned in to watch the incredible live stream, which was backed by energy drinks giant Red Bull.
And the world held its breath as Baumgartner jumped into the void before hurtling back to Earth at record-breaking speeds of 843mph.
It saw him hit a top speed of Mach 1.25 – making him the first person to break the sound barrier outside a vehicle.
Just before he jumped, Baumgartner declared: “I wish you could see what I can see.”
Immediately reflecting on his jump afterwards, he added: “When you’re standing on top of the world, you don’t think of records any more, all you think is that you want to come back alive.”
Speaking several years later, Baumgartner said: “I wanted to be the first human outside of an aircraft breaking the sound barrier.
“It’s very difficult to a perfect exit, do not over-rotate, there’s no air to use to slow down.
“First 25 seconds it looked like everything’s under control. Then after 34 seconds I hit Mach 1 and broke the speed of sound. That was our goal.
“I was mentally prepared to spin. I started, it got faster. There was no protocol. Then it really ramped up. It wasn’t about breaking records any more, it was about survival.
“(In the end) I was happy. Even the landing was perfect.”