Posted on 07/17/2025 1:22:18 PM PDT by DFG
Extreme athlete Felix Baumgartner has died in a paragliding crash in Italy.
The Austrian sportsman, 56, reportedly lost control of his aircraft on Thursday at around 4pm in Porto Sant'Elpidio, Marche.
Italian local media has reported the dare-devil crashed into the pool of the Le Mimose campsite after feeling unwell before taking off.
A woman was also left injured in the incident after being struck by Baumgartner as he plummeted to the ground. She was taken to Murri Hospital, but her condition is not serious, according to initial reports.
Baumgartner had taken off from Fermo, but while flying over the coast, for reasons still under investigation, he lost control of the powered hang glider. After the crash, he immediately lost consciousness and went into cardiac arrest.
Emergency responders requested an air ambulance for transport to the Torrette Hospital in Ancona, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Shortly before his death, the sports star posted a video on his social media alongside the caption: 'Too much wind'.
It showed him paragliding in circles over a field, completely unaware of the tragedy that was about to strike. Baumgartner had been in the area for a short holiday with his wife.
The sports sensation was internationally known for his spectacular jumps. He became particularly famous in 2012 with a jump from the stratosphere in which he set three world records.
Baumgartner dropped jaws after jumped from the edge of space, armed only with a pressure suit, a parachute, and nerves of steel.
He free fell to Earth for more than four minutes, during which time he reached dizzying speeds of 843.6mph and broke the sound barrier, before opening his parachute and safely gliding down to land in New Mexico.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Remember the saying: There are old pilots, there are bold pilots, but there are no old bold pilots.
Too bad he didn’t die BEFORE he harmed someone else.
Hooked on adrenaline, to the very end.
“A man must know his limitations.” - Dirty Harry.
That jump from space bordered on spectacular.
R.I.P.
Felix used up all of his nine lives.
How appropriate.
He died doing what he loved.........
Takeoff is optional.
Landing is mandatory.
I'd rather be down here wishing I was up there than up there wishing I was down here.
Imagine relaxing on your float in the pool and a DareDevil drops from the sky and lands on you.
She will have some tale to tell the Grandkids.
” during which time he reached dizzying speeds of 843.6mph and broke the sound barrier”
Terminal velocity of a human falling is 120mph. He must have been under full power, straight down, to reach the advertised speeds.
Altitude. Thin air.
terminal velocity obviously doesn’t apply once you rise far above normal atmosphere
That 120mph terminal velocity does not apply in the stratosphere.
I’m going with hotdogging it until proven otherwise. I’ve done my share of jangling and have seen some stupid people thinking they could treat it like a video game.
Gave me the willies looking down even on tv.
That had to hurt for everyone involved.
...except Chuck Yeager
I'm surprised he didn't break his neck at that speed
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