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Vienna: Austrian extreme sports legend Felix Baumgartner died in a paragliding accident in central Italy on Thursday. According to reports, 56-year-old Baumgartner lost control of his motorised paraglider while flying over Porto Sant’Elpidio in the Marche region and crashed near a hotel swimming pool.
Baumgartner was renowned for becoming the first skydiver to break the sound barrier in 2012. He began parachuting and BASE jumping at the age of 16. His high-risk feats over the years included jumping from the Petronas Towers in Malaysia and skydiving across the English Channel.
Porto Sant’Elpidio mayor Massimiliano Ciarpela said preliminary information suggested Baumgartner may have suffered a sudden medical emergency mid-air, which caused the crash. He offered condolences on behalf of the town and described Baumgartner as a global symbol of courage and passion for flight. The official cause of the accident is yet to be confirmed.
Baumgartner gained international fame on October 14, 2012, when he leapt from a helium balloon 38 km above Earth in a specially designed suit, reaching speeds over 690 mph and becoming the first person to break the sound barrier in freefall. The jump coincided with the 65th anniversary of American pilot Chuck Yeager’s historic supersonic flight in 1947.
Despite his fame, Baumgartner was often in the spotlight for his controversial political views, including open support for authoritarian governance in Austria. He also faced legal trouble in 2010 for punching a Greek truck driver during a road altercation, for which he was fined €1,500.
