Felix Baumgartner’s fatal paragliding crash occurred on Thursday afternoon near the Adriatic Sea in central Italy’s Marche region. Witnesses reported a loud boom before the crash, which was followed by the occupant spinning out of control and crashing next to a swimming pool.
Baumgartner, 56, was renowned for being the first skydiver to fall faster than the speed of sound. The cause of the accident is currently under investigation. Police have declined to comment on the matter.
The mayor confirmed Baumgartner’s death, stating that he had been in Italy on vacation and may have fallen ill during the fatal flight. Baumgartner’s social media feed featured recent videos of him flying above seaside towns on a motorized paraglider.
Baumgartner’s death marks a tragic end to his illustrious career as a record-breaking skydiver and aviation pioneer. He had previously broken the sound barrier with only his body in 2012, reaching speeds of over 843 mph during a nine-minute descent.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2025/7/18/felix-baumgartner-death-witnesses-heard-loud-boom-before-crash