
Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner dies in paragliding crash in Italy
Police at Porto Sant'Elpidio, on Italy's Adriatic coast, had identified Baumgartner, he said.
While he was not able to confirm the cause of death, a report in Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera said that Baumgartner had lost control of his paraglider after falling ill.
He landed in the swimming pool of a holiday residence at Porto Sant'Elpidio, slightly injuring a young woman.
The accident happened at around 4pm, the paper reported.
Baumgartner's dramatic 2012 jump from a capsule more than 39 kilometres (24 miles) above the Earth was the most spectacular of a string of record-breaking stunts.
Baumgartner, a former military parachutist, made thousands of daredevil jumps from planes, bridges, skyscrapers and landmarks around the world, including the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil.

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Local Italy
18-07-2025
- Local Italy
Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner dies in paragliding crash in Italy
Baumgartner, who was 56, was killed in an accident on Thursday in Italy, a senior official with the emergency services in the Marche region confirmed to AFP. Police at Porto Sant'Elpidio, on Italy's Adriatic coast, had identified Baumgartner, he said. While he was not able to confirm the cause of death, a report in Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera said that Baumgartner had lost control of his paraglider after falling ill. He landed in the swimming pool of a holiday residence at Porto Sant'Elpidio, slightly injuring a young woman. The accident happened at around 4pm, the paper reported. Baumgartner's dramatic 2012 jump from a capsule more than 39 kilometres (24 miles) above the Earth was the most spectacular of a string of record-breaking stunts. Baumgartner, a former military parachutist, made thousands of daredevil jumps from planes, bridges, skyscrapers and landmarks around the world, including the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil.


Local Italy
17-07-2025
- Local Italy
Body of missing British hiker found in northern Italy
Matthew Hall, from Hull, was found dead by rescuers in a mountain crevice north of Chiavenna, Lombardy, on Wednesday evening, according to Italian media. His body was discovered a week after he went missing during a solo hiking trip in the area. A keen hiker and mountaineer, Hall had been last heard from at around 1.20pm on Wednesday, July 9th, when he sent a photo to a friend from the mountain village of Daloo. A text message sent shortly after the photo said he was having a rest after taking a wrong turn while scaling down the side of the mountain he was hiking on. Hall was believed to have gone on an eight-hour trek on the day of his disappearance. Search and rescue operations began on Saturday, shortly after management at Chiavenna's B&B Ploncher hotel informed police that the 33-year-old had failed to check out of his room. Several of Hall's friends and colleagues, and his partner, Reece, travelled to Italy to join the search in the following days. Local police chief Gim Toni De Masi said on Thursday that Hall's mother had been informed of the discovery and was already in Italy. Hall's body was taken to a hospital in Sondrio pending formal identification and repatriation procedures, he added. Family and friends described Hall as an experienced hiker with knowledge of mountains and rugged terrain. The exact circumstances of his death remained unknown on Thursday morning.


Local Italy
15-07-2025
- Local Italy
Search underway after British hiker goes missing in Italian Alps
Matthew Hall, from Hull, was reported missing after he failed to check out of his accommodation, the B&B Ploncher hotel in Chiavenna, Lombardy, on Friday. He was due to fly from Milan to Manchester the following day, according to Italian media reports. A keen hiker and mountaineer, Hall was last heard from at around 1.20pm last Wednesday, when he sent a photo to a friend from the mountain village of Daloo, north of Chiavenna. A text message sent shortly after the photo said he was having a rest after taking a wrong turn while scaling down the side of the mountain he was hiking on. Hall was believed to have gone on an eight-hour trek on the day of his disappearance, according to reports. Search and rescue operations began on Saturday, shortly after hotel management informed police authorities that Hall had failed to check out of his room. Alpine Rescue teams were searching the area above the village of Borgonuovo di Piuro on Tuesday, as that was believed to be the starting point of Hall's trek. Several of Hall's friends and colleagues, and his partner, Reece, have arrived in Italy in recent days to join the search, according to British media. One of Hall's close friends, Ben Lee, said he was last spotted by a girl at a local church on the day he went missing. This 'kind of confirmed which route he was going on,' Lee added. Hall's mother, Sara Foster, told the BBC that his son was an avid hiker 'who loves his trails and walking'. "I'm very wobbly at the moment, obviously, but I'm really trying to stay positive," she said. "If you're walking around Chiavenna just keep an eye out. We just want him to come home." Hall was described as being approximately 1.78 metres tall and having brown hair. He was believed to be wearing a beige top and a black backpack on the day of his disappearance. Italian authorities urged anyone who may have seen Hall or has relevant information to contact the search and rescue team at +39 331 361 9285. A UK Foreign Office spokesperson said they were supporting Hall's family and were 'in contact with the local authorities'.