Latest news with #skydive
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Felix Baumgartner: the man who skydived from space
The Austrian extreme sports pioneer Felix Baumgartner, known for his record-breaking 2012 skydive from the edge of space, has died in a paragliding accident in central Italy, police have said. Baumgartner, 56, lost control of his motorised paraglider while flying over Porto Sant'Elpidio in Marche on Thursday. He fell to the ground near the swimming pool of a hotel. The cause of the accident remains unclear
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Felix Baumgartner: the man who skydived from space
The Austrian extreme sports pioneer Felix Baumgartner, known for his record-breaking 2012 skydive from the edge of space, has died in a paragliding accident in central Italy, police report. Baumgartner, 56, lost control of his motorised paraglider while flying over Porto Sant'Elpidio in Marche on Thursday. He fell to the ground near the swimming pool of a hotel. The cause of the accident remains unclear
The Independent
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Felix Baumgartner reflects on iconic space jump in resurfaced clip after his death
Felix Baumgartner reflects on his iconic space jump in a resurfaced clip following his death. The Austrian extreme sportsman, known for his record-breaking skydive from the edge of space, died following a paragliding accident in Italy on Thursday (17 July). The 56-year-old made headlines around the world in October 2012 when, wearing a specially made suit, he jumped from a balloon 38km (24 miles) above Earth, becoming the first skydiver to break the sound barrier, typically measured at more than 690 mph.
Digital Trends
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
The man who jumped from space has died in a paragliding crash
A daredevil stuntman who set a world record more than decade ago for the highest-ever skydive has died in a paragliding accident in Italy. Felix Baumgartner, 56, crashed to the ground near a hotel swimming pool during a flight over Porto Sant'Elpidio in the eastern Marche region of the country on Thursday. Recommended Videos It's not currently clear if the motorized paraglider suffered an issue during the flight or if Baumgartner experienced a sudden health issue. Red Bull, which had close ties with Baumgartner, said in a statement: 'We are shocked and overwhelmed with sadness to hear the devastating news of our longtime friend Felix Baumgartner. Felix was 'born to fly' and was determined to push the limits. He was also smart, professional, thorough, and meticulous, never leaving anything to chance. He was generous, giving much of his time to help and inspiring so many people.' The Austrian thrill-seeker made international headlines in 2012 after leaping from a high-altitude balloon at the edge of space and parachuting back to Earth. After hearing of his tragic death, World of Engineering posted a video of the moment Baumgartner began his breathtaking descent. 'sometimes… you have to get up really high… to understand how small your are. I'm ~ coming ~ home ~ now' — Felix Baumgartner — World of Engineering (@engineers_feed) July 17, 2025 The extraordinary stunt smashed a string of records, including the highest-ever jump — from an altitude of 128,097 feet (24.2 miles) — and the fastest freefall, reaching a top speed of 843 mph (1,357 kmh). During the first 20 seconds of his descent, there were real fears for Baumgartner's safety as he started to spin out of control. Fortunately, he was able to maintain consciousness and control his fall, prompting applause from his team on the ground. 'Fearless Felix,' as he was known, had a thirst for adventure throughout his life, with his stunts including leaping from the hand of Rio de Janeiro's Christ the Redeemer statue, jumping from the Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia, and flying across the English Channel with a specially-made jumpsuit with carbon-fiber wings. Since news of his death broke on Thursday, fans of the extreme sportsman have been leaving comments on his X and Instagram accounts. One wrote: 'Fly high you incredible aviation legend. You have been an inspiration to us all, defying everything that people thought was possible,' while another said simply: 'Today is a sad day. Rest in peace, legend.'
BBC News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Felix Baumgartner, who jumped from edge of space, dies paragliding
Felix Baumgartner, who once broke the world record for the highest skydive by jumping from the edge of space, has died in a paragliding accident in 56-year-old fell to the ground near the swimming pool of a hotel while flying over the village of Porto Sant'Elpidio in the eastern Marche Austrian daredevil made headlines in 2012 when he broke the world record for the highest-ever skydive, jumping from a balloon more than 39km (128,000 ft) up in the also set the world record for the highest parachute jump in 1999, when he launched himself from the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. Porto Sant'Elpidio's mayor, Massimiliano Ciarpella, said reports suggested he may have suffered a sudden medical issue mid-air, and offered the town's condolences over the death of "a symbol of courage and passion for extreme flights".
