• Felix Baumgartner, famous for his record-breaking jump from the stratosphere, died in a paragliding accident at age 56.
• He lost control of his paraglider and crashed near a hotel swimming pool in Porto Sant'Elpidio, Italy.
• Witnesses suggested a sudden medical issue may have contributed to the crash.
• Baumgartner was a symbol of extreme sports, having set multiple records in skydiving and base jumping.
• His death has prompted an outpouring of tributes from fans and sponsors alike.

Felix Baumgartner, the iconic extreme sports athlete best known for his record-breaking 2012 skydive from the edge of space, tragically died in a paragliding accident in Italy on July 17, 2025. The 56-year-old lost control of his motorized paraglider while flying over Porto Sant'Elpidio and crashed into the side of a hotel swimming pool, according to multiple reports from Al Jazeera, Reuters, and HuffPost.

Witnesses reported that Baumgartner may have experienced a sudden medical issue mid-air before the crash, a theory supported by the mayor of Porto Sant'Elpidio, Massimiliano Ciarpella, who expressed the community's sorrow at the loss of a figure described as "a symbol of courage and passion for extreme flight," according to BBC and South China Morning Post.

Baumgartner's legacy is rooted in his adventurous spirit; he made history when he jumped from a helium balloon at 39 kilometers above the Earth, achieving a peak speed exceeding 1,343 kilometers per hour and breaking the sound barrier during his descent. This jump made him a household name, and millions watched the event live as he landed safely in New Mexico in 2012, a feat carried out under the auspices of his sponsor, Red Bull, as reported by Los Angeles Times and TRT World.

His numerous records in the sport of extreme sports included the first free fall to break the sound barrier, and he also set records for the highest and lowest base jumps from iconic structures such as the Petronas Towers and Christ the Redeemer statue. Baumgartner’s continuous commitment to safety and meticulous planning were hallmarks of his career, as highlighted in interviews and supported by India Times and CBS News.