Skydiver and world file breaker Felix Baumgartner died after a tragic accident on July 17, 2025, in Italy — however not from skydiving. He was 56 years outdated. Identified for breaking the world file in 2012 for his stratospheric bounce, Baumgartner’s loss of life was from a paragliding incident simply hours after he shared his closing Instagram submit.
Beneath, now we have a breakdown of what occurred to Baumgartner and extra on his daredevil profession.
Who Is Felix Baumgartner?
Baumgartner was an Austrian skydiver, BASE jumper and total daredevil. Identified for a number of jumps reminiscent of from Petronas Towers in Malaysia and the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Baumgartner earned world recognition for leaping right down to Earth from a helium balloon within the stratosphere in October 2012. The challenge was often called “Purple Bull Stratos.”
Throughout an interview with CNN 10 years after the record-breaking bounce, Baumgartner recalled his out-of-this-world second.
Excessive athlete Felix Baumgartner, the primary skydiver to fall sooner than the pace of sound throughout a 24-mile leap via the stratosphere greater than a decade in the past, died in a paraglider crash Thursday in Italy. He was 56.
That is him talking after that file bounce. pic.twitter.com/kK0wjFl9Sm
— The Related Press (@AP) July 18, 2025
“I’m standing there on high of the world outdoors of a capsule in area and within the stratosphere,” he remembered. “I regarded across the sky above me was utterly black. I used to be actually attempting to inhale that second. … I had tears in my eyes once I was coming again a few occasions since you’re sitting there and you considered that second so many occasions, , how it will really feel and the way it will seem like. And that is means larger than I had anticipated.”
He additionally described the difficulties of the 800mph fall, noting that it was “very uncomfortable.”
“You could have a complete lack of mobility. It all the time feels such as you’re respiration via a pillow,” Baumgartner defined. “You’re utterly separated from the skin world. So as soon as the visor is down, all you may hear is your self respiration.”
How Did Felix Baumgartner Break the Sound Barrier?
Baumgartner broke the sound barrier by free falling greater than 800 miles per hour throughout his Purple Bull Stratos bounce. The pace of sound is roughly 767 miles per hour at sea degree in 68 diploma Fahrenheit.
What Occurred to Felix Baumgartner?
On July 17, 2025, Baumgartner misplaced management of his paraglider, crashing right into a lodge swimming pool in f Porto Sant’Elpidio, Italy. A lady was struck within the accident however was not critically injured, in accordance with SkyTG24.
The precise explanation for Baumgartner’s crash continues to be unclear, and authorities are investigating it.
Was Felix Baumgartner Married?
No, Baumgartner was not married, however he was in a long-term and dedicated relationship to Romanian businesswoman and tv host Mihaela Rădulescu.