Felix Baumgartner, the Austrian extreme adventurer who made international headlines in 2012 when he livestreamed himself jumping and freefalling for four minutes from a helium balloon that had ascended about 24 miles above the earth, breaking the sound barrier before opening his parachute, died Thursday in a paragliding accident along the Adriatic coast in Italy. He was 56.
His death was confirmed by his official sponsor, Red Bull. In a tribute titled “Thank you, Felix” on the energy drink’s website, the company writes, in part, “We grew with you and you with us. We wouldn’t trade a single day we had together. You will stay with us as a colleague, a loyal companion, but most of all as a friend.”
International press reports indicate Baumgartner, known as “Fearless Felix,” crashed to the ground in Porto Sant’Elpidio, Italy, after losing control of his paraglider, possibly having suffered a medical episode during the flight.
The town’s Mayor Massimiliano Ciarpella said today that Baumgartner crashed to the ground a few yards from a swimming pool. An autopsy will be performed.
DEADLINE RELATED VIDEO:
Born on April 20, 1969, in Salzburg, Austria, Baumgartner began skydiving as a teenager, later serving as a paratrooper in the Austrian military. In 1988 he began performing skydiving exhibitions and stunts for Red Bull.
Baumgartner helped popularize the extreme sport of BASE jumping, parachuting from heights both natural and man-made including the Christ The Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro and the Empire State Building in New York City.
In 2006, Baumgartner jumped from the top of Mexico City’s Torre Mayor skyscraper
Getty Images
Footage of many of his jumps, taken with GoPro-type cameras, found their way to YouTube, none more thrilling, or terrifying, as his 2012 leap from the stratosphere. His great leap made Baumgartner a sought-after talk-show guest, with appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Graham Norton Show, and many others.
Information on survivors was not immediately available.
Watch it below Baumgartner’s 2012 jump below.
Source link
