The man who broke a skydiving record, jumping from the edge of space and breaking the sound barrier, has died in a paraglider crash.
Felix Baumgartner was 56 years old.
The crash occurred on July 17 off the eastern coast of Italy, The Associated Press reported.
Firefighters in the city of Porto Sant’Elpidio said the paraglider crashed into the side of a swimming pool.
The paraglider hit a woman, but she was not seriously hurt, CNN reported.
Porto Sant’Elpidio Mayor Massimiliano Ciarpella wrote on social media, “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,” the AP reported.
Italian officials are trying to determine the cause of the crash, according to CNN.
Baumgartner was the first human to break the sound barrier with only his body. “Fearless Felix” climbed more than 24 miles above the Earth in 2012, in a giant helium balloon, wearing a pressurized suit. He flew through the air at 843.6 mph or 1.25 times the speed of sound in nine minutes.
The jump was not without issues, as Baumgartner got into a flat spin while falling at supersonic speeds. He spun for 13 seconds before leveling out.
“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,” Baumgartner said once he landed back on the ground.
In addition to the speed record, Baumgartner broke the altitude record, holding it for two years until it was broken by Google executive Alan Eustace.
Baumgartner was a former Austrian military parachutist known for jumps from planes, bridges and even landmarks such as Christ the Redeemer in Brazil, the AP reported.
Red Bull, the sponsor of his jump from the stratosphere, released a statement upon his death, which read,
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,” CNN reported.
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