Khaberni -The Austrian adventurer Felix Baumgartner, known for the famed "Felix Jump" at the age of 56, died while piloting a paraglider during a summer vacation in Italy.
The accident occurred on Thursday when his engine-powered paraglider (paraglide) crashed in the Porto Sant'Elpidio area on the Adriatic coast of Italy, according to statements by Massimiliano Cherubella, the city's mayor, on Friday morning.
The mayor further clarified that the cause of death is still unknown, but added that Baumgartner suffered a medical incident while flying, believed to have lost consciousness before his glider fell into a swimming pool of a nearby hotel in the tourist area, resulting in his immediate death while one hotel employee was injured. Autopsy results are expected to determine the exact cause of death.
Posted a picture before his death
Just hours before his death on Thursday, Baumgartner posted a picture on his "Instagram Story" showing a sky laden with gray clouds and a fiercely shaking wind flag, with the comment: "The winds are very strong."
Latter, he also shared on his main account a video showing him working with his toolkit to adjust the paraglider's engine, and remarked: "A man on the job."
Red Bull, in its condolence statement, said about Felix Baumgartner: "Felix was born to fly, he was smart, professional, meticulous, and methodical – he left nothing to chance."
The Austrian adventurer had gained worldwide fame after performing a historic jump from the stratosphere in 2012, becoming the first person in history to break the sound barrier with his body without using an aircraft, jumping from an altitude of more than 39 kilometers above the earth in New Mexico, USA, as part of a project named "Red Bull Stratos."
During his free fall, he reached a maximum speed of 833.9 miles per hour (about 1,342 km/h) before opening his parachute.
The journey to the ground took about 4 minutes and 20 seconds before he safely landed in the desert of New Mexico.
Felix Baumgartner said after the jump, "It was harder than I expected. When you stand there, on top of the world, you feel extremely humbled. It's no longer about breaking records or collecting scientific data. All that matters is making it home safely."
Millions of people followed his legendary jump, which was broadcast live on television screens and streamed live on YouTube.
Baumgartner started skydiving at the age of 16. He then joined the Austrian Army's demonstration and competition team, where he developed his jumping skills, according to his official website, and began performing freefall demonstrations for the company "Red Bull" since 1988.
