Daring extreme athlete Felix Baumgartner sadly perishes during a paragliding attempt
In a tragic turn of events, Felix Baumgartner, the Austrian daredevil known for his record-breaking space jump, has passed away at the age of 56 following a paragliding accident in Italy.
The incident occurred on the Adriatic coast, specifically in the town of Porto Sant'Elpidio, where Baumgartner crashed into a hotel swimming pool. A tourist who witnessed the accident promptly alerted emergency services.
Italian state broadcaster Rai reports that investigators believe Baumgartner was already deceased upon impact. The exact cause of the accident remains unclear, but it is speculated that he may have lost control due to excessive wind conditions, as he had posted "Too much wind" on his Instagram story just hours before the accident.
Baumgartner's last Instagram post was a video of him flying with a motorized paraglider, adding to the mystery surrounding the accident. No further information about the cause of the accident or any potential investigation is available at this time.
Baumgartner gained worldwide fame in 2012 when he jumped from the stratosphere, breaking the sound barrier and setting three world records. He reached an altitude of nearly 39 kilometers during the jump, which was broadcast live on ntv and set a ratings record with 7.1 million viewers.
However, Baumgartner's political views and statements have been a subject of controversy. In the years following his space jump, he praised the course of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and called for him to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his restrictive refugee policy. He also advocated for a "mild dictatorship" instead of a democratic system, and sharply criticized the German and Austrian migration policies.
ntv.de and lme are the sources for this information. The details of Baumgartner's political views and statements are not mentioned in this article, as they are not directly related to the paragliding accident.
Our thoughts are with Baumgartner's family and friends during this difficult time. He will be remembered for his daring stunts and indomitable spirit.
[1] ntv.de [2] lme
- I am not sure if the accident that caused Felix Baumgartner's death was investigated for possible factors related to general-news events, such as weather conditions or equipment issues during the sports activity of paragliding.
- It is worth noting that Felix Baumgartner, despite his fame, was a figure of controversy due to his political views and statements, which differed significantly from the standard positions, often championing a 'mild dictatorship' and praising restrictive refugee policies.
