Felix Baumgartner, the Austrian daredevil known globally for his historic 2012 skydive from the edge of space, has died in a tragic paragliding accident in Italy.

He was 56.

According to local reports, the accident occurred on Thursday in Porto Sant’Elpidio, a coastal city in central Italy. Firefighters responding to the scene discovered a paraglider had crashed into the side of a swimming pool.

The town’s mayor, Massimiliano Ciarpella, confirmed Baumgartner’s death in a heartfelt Facebook post, saying, “Our community is deeply affected by the tragic disappearance of Felix Baumgartner, a figure of global prominence, a symbol of courage and passion for extreme flight.”

Record-Breaking Jump from the Edge of Space

Baumgartner etched his name in history on October 14, 2012, when he ascended into the stratosphere—approximately 24 miles (39 kilometers) above Earth—aboard a capsule lifted by a helium balloon. From there, he executed a freefall jump over New Mexico, becoming the first human to break the sound barrier without mechanical assistance, reaching speeds of 843.6 mph during descent.

The groundbreaking feat, sponsored by Red Bull and known as the Stratos Project, took five years of preparation and shattered several world records, including:

• Fastest free fall
• Highest skydive
• First person to break the sound barrier in freefall

Baumgartner trained under the guidance of legendary U.S. Air Force Captain Joe Kittinger, who previously held the high-altitude jump record from 1960.

Read Also: Andy Byron’s wife removes last name amid viral cheating scandal

A Life of Daring Feats

Born in Austria, Baumgartner began skydiving at the age of 16 and later honed his skills in the Austrian military. By 1988, he had partnered with Red Bull, who went on to sponsor many of his extreme sports projects.

In 1999, he set two BASE jumping records—one from the Petronas Towers in Malaysia and another from the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil, considered the lowest-ever BASE jump at just 95 feet.

Outside of skydiving and BASE jumping, Baumgartner was also a licensed helicopter pilot and a member of Red Bull’s aerial stunt team.

In an interview, he once said, “I was only afraid of the things that were not on the list,” referring to the detailed risk planning that went into his high-stakes stunts.

A Controversial Figure

While widely admired for his fearless spirit and technical achievements, Baumgartner’s political views stirred controversy. He was openly critical of climate change activists and LGBTQ rights and had publicly praised Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán for his anti-immigration stance, even suggesting he deserved a Nobel Peace Prize.

A Legacy That Soared

Despite the controversy, Baumgartner’s accomplishments in extreme sports inspired millions across the globe. His legacy lives on through the record books, the adrenaline-fueled sports he helped popularize, and the boundary-pushing attitude he embodied.

He is remembered as a man who quite literally took flight into the unknown—and survived to tell the tale, until his final, tragic flight.