Latest news with #RedBullStratos
Daily Mirror
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Haunting moment Felix Baumgartner prepares paraglider for doomed flight before death
Extreme sports athlete Felix Baumgartner tragically plunged to his death during a paragliding accident in Italy. His partner has shared what he was doing before the deadly flight Harrowing footage has captured a paraglider's final moments before he plummeted to his death during a doomed flight. Felix Baumgartner, who hit headlines after jumping from the edge of space in 2012, tragically died in a paragliding accident in Italy on Thursday. The 56-year-old, from Austria, plunged into the side of a swimming pool in the city of Porto Sant Elpidio. His partner, Michela Radulescuhas, has since released a heartbreaking video of Baumgartner preparing for the ride. She posted the video on Twitter and said: "For over 12 years I was there for every take off and landing, from skydiving, paragliding, helicopter flights, paramotor to aerobatic shows. And when I couldn't be there for some heli flights, we had the WLC code - 'the Wifey Landing Call'. Never missed one. Except …this one." The city's mayor, Massimiliano Ciarpella, confirmed Baumgartner's death in a social media post. 'Our community is deeply affected by the tragic disappearance of Felix Baumgartner, a figure of global prominence, a symbol of courage and passion for extreme flight,' Mr Ciarpella said. Baumgartner, known as 'Fearless Felix', stunned the world in 2012 when he became the first human to break the sound barrier with only his body. He wore a pressurised suit and jumped from a capsule hoisted more than 24 miles above Earth by a giant helium balloon over New Mexico. The Austrian, who was part of the Red Bull Stratos team, topped out at 843.6 mph, the equivalent of 1.25 times the speed of sound, during a nine-minute descent. 'When I was standing there on top of the world, you become so humble, you do not think about of breaking records any more, you do not think of about gaining scientific data. 'The only thing you want is to come back alive,' he said after landing in the eastern New Mexico desert. The altitude from which he jumped also marked the highest for a skydiver, shattering the previous record set in 1960 by Joe Kittinger, who was an adviser to Baumgartner during his feat. Baumgartner's altitude record stood for two years until Google executive Alan Eustace set new marks for the highest free-fall jump and greatest free-fall distance. In 2012, millions watched YouTube 's livestream as Baumgartner coolly flashed a thumbs-up when he came out of the capsule high above Earth and then activated his parachute as he neared the ground, lifting his arms in victory after he landed. Baumgartner, a former Austrian military parachutist, made thousands of jumps from planes, bridges, skyscrapers and famed landmarks around the world, including the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil. In 2003, he flew across the English Channel in a carbon fibre wing after being dropped from a plane. In recent years, he performed with The Flying Bulls as a helicopter stunt pilot in shows across Europe. He later said travelling faster than sound is 'hard to describe because you don't feel it'. 'Sometimes we have to get really high to see how small we are,' he said.
Arab Times
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Arab Times
Felix Baumgartner, first skydiver to fall faster than the speed of sound, dies in a paraglider crash
PORTO SANT'ELIPIDO, Italy, July 19, (AP): Extreme athlete Felix Baumgartner, the first skydiver to fall faster than the speed of sound during a 24-mile leap through the stratosphere more than a decade ago, died in a crash Thursday along the eastern coast of Italy. He was 56. Italian firefighters who responded said a paraglider crashed into the side of a swimming pool in the city of Porto Sant Elpidio. The city's mayor confirmed Baumgartner's death in a social media post. "Our community is deeply affected by the tragic disappearance of Felix Baumgartner, a figure of global prominence, a symbol of courage and passion for extreme flight," Mayor Massimiliano Ciarpella said. Baumgartner, known as "Fearless Felix,' stunned the world in 2012 when he became the first human to break the sound barrier with only his body. He wore a pressurized suit and jumped from a capsule hoisted more than 24 miles (39 kilometers) above Earth by a giant helium balloon over New Mexico. The Austrian, who was part of the Red Bull Stratos team, topped out at 843.6 mph - the equivalent of 1.25 times the speed of sound - during a nine-minute descent. At one point, he went into a potentially dangerous flat spin while still supersonic, spinning for 13 seconds, his crew later said. "When I was standing there on top of the world, you become so humble, you do not think about of breaking records anymore, you do not think of about gaining scientific data. The only thing you want is to come back alive,' he said after landing in the eastern New Mexico desert. The altitude he jumped from also was the highest-ever for a skydiver, shattering the previous record set in 1960 by Joe Kittinger, who served as an adviser to Baumgartner during his feat. Baumgartner's altitude record stood for two years until Google executive Alan Eustace set new marks for the highest free-fall jump and greatest free-fall distance. Beachgoers knew something was wrong when they heard a loud boom ring out as a paraglider spun out of control, killing its only occupant, extreme athlete Felix Baumgartner, when it crashed next to a swimming pool near the Adriatic Sea. A 30-year-old mother watched the deadly descent unfold Thursday afternoon from nearby with her two young children, who were entranced by the constant traffic of paragliders above the beach town of Porto Sant'Elipido in central Italy's Marche region. "Everything was normal, then it started to spin like a top,'' Mirella Ivanov said Friday. "It went down and we heard a roar. In fact, I turned around because I thought it crashed on the rocks. Then I saw two lifeguards running, people who were running toward' the crash site. When she saw people trying to revive the occupant, she scurried her two children away. The city's mayor confirmed the death of 56-year-old Baumgartner, who was renowned as the first skydiver to fall faster than the speed of sound. The cause of the paragliding accident was under investigation. Police did not return calls asking for comment. "It is a destiny that is very hard to comprehend for a man who has broke all kinds of records, who has been an icon of flight, and who traveled through space,' Mayor Massimiliano Ciarpella told The Associated Press. Ciarpella said that Baumgartner had been in the area on vacation, and that investigators believed he may have fallen ill during the fatal flight. Baumgartner's social media feed features videos of him in recent days flying on a motorized paraglider -known as paramotoring - above seaside towns, and taking off from a nearby airfield surrounded by cornfields. The Club de Sole Le Mimose beachside resort where the crash occurred said in a statement that an employee who was "slightly injured' in the accident was in good condition. No guests were injured, and the pool has been reopened. In 2012, Baumgartner, known as "Fearless Felix,' became the first human to break the sound barrier with only his body. He wore a pressurized suit and jumped from a capsule hoisted more than 24 miles (39 kilometers) above Earth by a giant helium balloon over New Mexico. The Austrian, who was part of the Red Bull Stratos team, topped out at 843.6 mph - the equivalent of 1.25 times the speed of sound - during a nine-minute descent. At one point, he went into a potentially dangerous flat spin while still supersonic, spinning for 13 seconds, his crew later said. Baumgartner's altitude record stood for two years until Google executive Alan Eustace set new marks for the highest free-fall jump and greatest free-fall distance. In 2012, millions watched YouTube's livestream as Baumgartner coolly flashed a thumbs-up when he came out of the capsule high above Earth and then activated his parachute as he neared the ground, lifting his arms in victory after he landed. Baumgartner, a former Austrian military parachutist, made thousands of jumps from planes, bridges, skyscrapers and famed landmarks, including the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil. In 2003, he flew across the English Channel in a carbon fiber wing after being dropped from a plane. In recent years, he performed with The Flying Bulls, an aviation team owned and operated by Red Bull, as a helicopter stunt pilot in shows across Europe. Red Bull paid Baumgartner tribute in a post Friday, calling him "precise, demanding, and critical. With others, but above all toward yourself.' The statement underlined the research and courage with which Baumgartner confronted "the greatest challenges.'
The Hindu
20 hours ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Felix Baumgartner, the skydiver who broke sound-barrier, dies in crash in Italy
Extreme athlete Felix Baumgartner, the first skydiver to fall faster than the speed of sound during a 24-mile leap through the stratosphere more than a decade ago, died in a crash Thursday along the eastern coast of Italy. He was 56. Italian firefighters who responded said a paraglider crashed into the side of a swimming pool in the city of Porto Sant Elpidio. The city's mayor confirmed Baumgartner's death in a social media post. 'Our community is deeply affected by the tragic disappearance of Felix Baumgartner, a figure of global prominence, a symbol of courage and passion for extreme flight,' Mayor Massimiliano Ciarpella said. Baumgartner, known as 'Fearless Felix,' stunned the world in 2012 when he became the first human to break the sound barrier with only his body. He wore a pressurized suit and jumped from a capsule hoisted more than 24 miles (39 kilometers) above Earth by a giant helium balloon over New Mexico. The Austrian, who was part of the Red Bull Stratos team, topped out at 843.6 mph — the equivalent of 1.25 times the speed of sound — during a nine-minute descent. At one point, he went into a potentially dangerous flat spin while still supersonic, spinning for 13 seconds, his crew later said. Pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria celebrates after successfully completing the final manned flight for Red Bull Stratos in Roswell, New Mexico, U.S. October 14, 2012. | Photo Credit: Red Bull VIA REUTERS 'When I was standing there on top of the world, you become so humble, you do not think about of breaking records anymore, you do not think of about gaining scientific data. The only thing you want is to come back alive,' he said after landing in the eastern New Mexico desert. The altitude he jumped from also was the highest-ever for a skydiver, shattering the previous record set in 1960 by Joe Kittinger, who served as an adviser to Baumgartner during his feat. Baumgartner's altitude record stood for two years until Google executive Alan Eustace set new marks for the highest free-fall jump and greatest free-fall distance. In 2012, millions watched YouTube's livestream as Baumgartner coolly flashed a thumbs-up when he came out of the capsule high above Earth and then activated his parachute as he neared the ground, lifting his arms in victory after he landed. Baumgartner, a former Austrian military parachutist, made thousands of jumps from planes, bridges, skyscrapers and famed landmarks, including the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil. In 2003, he flew across the English Channel in a carbon fiber wing after being dropped from a plane. In recent years, he performed with The Flying Bulls as a helicopter stunt pilot in shows across Europe. In 2013, he was was named Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year. Baumgartner said after his record-breaking jump in 2012 that traveling faster than sound is 'hard to describe because you don't feel it.' 'Sometimes we have to get really high to see how small we are,' he said.
The National
a day ago
- Sport
- The National
Scheffler & Schauffele remind us that solo pursuit can leave us empty
Outside, life moved on: golfers teed off at the Open, Olympic champions did media rounds ahead of the London Diamond League. Inside the hospital, time slowed. People fought for breath, families waited in silence, and I sat reading about the death of a 19-year-old Italian cyclist, Samuel Privitera, who died after a bike crash on the opening stage of a bike race in Europe. Just as that heartbreak settled in, another name appeared online, Felix Baumgartner. The man who once fell from space to Earth at supersonic speed was gone. He chased the edge of human limits and lived to tell the tale until he had a fatal crash while flying. It's been one of those weeks where sport, life, and death all feel entangled for me. The wins, the losses, the podiums, the pain. And somewhere in the middle of it all, two golf interviews that left fans discussing what they said across the internet and in cafes around the world. Scottie Scheffler, world number one and newly crowned Masters champion, told reporters: 'Winning doesn't give me meaning.' Then Olympic gold medallist Xander Schauffele, asked about his medal, shrugged: 'I think it's at my parents' house. I don't even know where it is.' When the best in the world admit that success feels hollow, it forces us all to ask: what, then, gives life meaning? I'm relatively new to golf. I don't have a swing coach or a trophy cabinet. I've shot 92 and felt proud. I've also cried mid-round, wondering what it's all for. But I've learned that golf, like life, isn't just about getting the ball in the hole. It's about who you become walking between the shots. Scheffler and Schauffele reminded us this week that the pursuit of outcomes alone can leave us empty. You reach the summit and realise there's no air up there. At least, not the kind you thought. And when tragedy hits, or someone like Baumgartner dies after living a sporting dream, it underscores a deeper truth: winning doesn't insulate you from existential ache. The PERMA model from positive psychology, Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment, helps us understand what true wellbeing requires. Sport, especially at the elite level, has no shortage of Accomplishment. But if that's all there is, the system fails. Scheffler's joy comes not from trophies but from faith, family, and purpose beyond the fairway. Schauffele doesn't hang his identity on a medal. For every teenager training for the Olympics and every adult clinging to fitness post-surgery, engagement matters to the state of flow, of being so absorbed you forget time. Relationships teammates, coaches, loved ones matter even more. And Positive Emotion? Joy. Play. Laughter. These can be the first casualties in the race to the top which can lace them feeling very alone. The stories I heard this week hit hard. I remember watching the Red Bull Stratos jump live and was one of the drivers of me getting into psychology and neuroscience. I love human performance, but I'm more interested in what is happening between the ears way before the world witness the athletes. It's the same curiosity I see in hospital and this always has me thinking of what drives. I found myself thinking not of his death, but of his life. What drove him? What filled the space when the cameras stopped rolling? Then there was the young cyclist, only 19. The world ahead of him. His story isn't just about risk; it's about fragility. We watch athletes for their strength, but forget they are mortal too. In that hospital chair, surrounded by people fighting to live, it felt almost absurd how much pressure we put on winning. How rarely we talk about what comes after. Sport has given me so much discipline, community, purpose. But it has also tempted me toward obsession, toward measuring worth in scorecards and benchmarks. It's easy to fall into that trap, especially when your body is healing, and progress feels slow. But this week shook me sideways. I need these ribs to heal, not just so I can swing a club again, but so I can get back to doing what matters most: living each day fully aligned with my values. Laughing with my friends. Feeling the sun on my skin. Staying curious. Being kind. Writing words that might help someone else feel less alone on those hard days. Because whether you're a major winner, a gold medallist, a cyclist chasing your first pro contract, or someone just learning how to walk again, your worth is not in the outcome. It's in the effort. In how you live. In the meaning you make from your moments. Scheffler and Schauffele reminded us that chasing outcomes without meaning is a hollow path. The deaths reminded us that life is short, fragile, and sacred. And my hospital chair reminded me that healing of body, of mind, of soul is slow but worth the wait.
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Scheffler & Schauffele remind us that solo pursuit can leave us empty
Inside the hospital, time slowed. People fought for breath, families waited in silence, and I sat reading about the death of a 19-year-old Italian cyclist, Samuel Privitera, who died after a bike crash on the opening stage of a bike race in Europe. Just as that heartbreak settled in, another name appeared online, Felix Baumgartner. The man who once fell from space to Earth at supersonic speed was gone. He chased the edge of human limits and lived to tell the tale until he had a fatal crash while flying. It's been one of those weeks where sport, life, and death all feel entangled for me. The wins, the losses, the podiums, the pain. And somewhere in the middle of it all, two golf interviews that left fans discussing what they said across the internet and in cafes around the world. Scottie Scheffler, world number one and newly crowned Masters champion, told reporters: 'Winning doesn't give me meaning.' Then Olympic gold medallist Xander Schauffele, asked about his medal, shrugged: 'I think it's at my parents' house. I don't even know where it is.' When the best in the world admit that success feels hollow, it forces us all to ask: what, then, gives life meaning? I'm relatively new to golf. I don't have a swing coach or a trophy cabinet. I've shot 92 and felt proud. I've also cried mid-round, wondering what it's all for. But I've learned that golf, like life, isn't just about getting the ball in the hole. It's about who you become walking between the shots. Scheffler and Schauffele reminded us this week that the pursuit of outcomes alone can leave us empty. You reach the summit and realise there's no air up there. At least, not the kind you thought. And when tragedy hits, or someone like Baumgartner dies after living a sporting dream, it underscores a deeper truth: winning doesn't insulate you from existential ache. The PERMA model from positive psychology, Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment, helps us understand what true wellbeing requires. Sport, especially at the elite level, has no shortage of Accomplishment. But if that's all there is, the system fails. Scheffler's joy comes not from trophies but from faith, family, and purpose beyond the fairway. Schauffele doesn't hang his identity on a medal. For every teenager training for the Olympics and every adult clinging to fitness post-surgery, engagement matters to the state of flow, of being so absorbed you forget time. Relationships teammates, coaches, loved ones matter even more. And Positive Emotion? Joy. Play. Laughter. These can be the first casualties in the race to the top which can lace them feeling very alone. The stories I heard this week hit hard. I remember watching the Red Bull Stratos jump live and was one of the drivers of me getting into psychology and neuroscience. I love human performance, but I'm more interested in what is happening between the ears way before the world witness the athletes. It's the same curiosity I see in hospital and this always has me thinking of what drives. I found myself thinking not of his death, but of his life. What drove him? What filled the space when the cameras stopped rolling? Then there was the young cyclist, only 19. The world ahead of him. His story isn't just about risk; it's about fragility. We watch athletes for their strength, but forget they are mortal too. In that hospital chair, surrounded by people fighting to live, it felt almost absurd how much pressure we put on winning. How rarely we talk about what comes after. Sport has given me so much discipline, community, purpose. But it has also tempted me toward obsession, toward measuring worth in scorecards and benchmarks. It's easy to fall into that trap, especially when your body is healing, and progress feels slow. But this week shook me sideways. I need these ribs to heal, not just so I can swing a club again, but so I can get back to doing what matters most: living each day fully aligned with my values. Laughing with my friends. Feeling the sun on my skin. Staying curious. Being kind. Writing words that might help someone else feel less alone on those hard days. Because whether you're a major winner, a gold medallist, a cyclist chasing your first pro contract, or someone just learning how to walk again, your worth is not in the outcome. It's in the effort. In how you live. In the meaning you make from your moments. Scheffler and Schauffele reminded us that chasing outcomes without meaning is a hollow path. The deaths reminded us that life is short, fragile, and sacred. And my hospital chair reminded me that healing of body, of mind, of soul is slow but worth the wait.
