Red Bull-branded jumper Felix Baumgartner dies in paragliding crash at 56

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Red Bull-branded jumper Felix Baumgartner dies in paragliding crash at 56

Red Bull’s stratosphere daredevil crashes near hotel pool in Italy after medical issue mid-flight

Felix Baumgartner

MUMBAI: Felix Baumgartner, the Austrian skydiver who stunned the world with his supersonic leap from the edge of space in 2012, has died aged 56 in a paragliding crash in Porto Sant’Elpidio, Italy.

The Red Bull poster boy, dubbed “Fearless Felix”, reportedly lost control of his glider and plummeted to the ground near a hotel swimming pool, with local authorities suspecting a medical emergency during flight.

Baumgartner shot to fame in October 2012 when he jumped from 39km above the Earth as part of the Red Bull Stratos project. The death-defying stunt saw him break three records—highest freefall, fastest speed in freefall, and highest manned balloon flight—and made him the first human to break the sound barrier without mechanical assistance.

The former paratrooper and Base jumping legend carved a name for himself leaping off skyscrapers, bridges and cliffs. His Red Bull jump remains one of the most iconic branded stunts of all time, catapulting the energy drink maker into global cultural relevance.

His death marks the end of an era for extreme sports.