Skydivers and World Record Breakers Felix Baumgartner He died on July 17, 2025 after a tragic accident in Italy, but not from skydiving. He was 56 years old. Baumgartner’s death, known for breaking world records in a stratospheric jump in 2012, came from the Paraglise incident hours after sharing his final Instagram post.
Below is a breakdown of what happened to Baumgartner during his Daredevil career.
Who is Felix Baumgartner?
Baumgartner was Austrian skydivers, bass jumpers and overall daredevil. Baum Gartner, known for his multiple jumps from the Petronas Towers in Malaysia and the statue of Rio de Janeiro, gained global recognition in October 2012 by jumping onto Earth from a stratospheric helium balloon. The project was known as “Red Bull Stratos.”
In an interview with CNN, ten years after the record-breaking jump, Baumgartner recalled his moments in this world.
Extreme athlete Felix Baumgartner, the first skydiver to drop faster than sound speeds when he made a 24-mile leap through the stratosphere more than a decade ago, was killed in a paraglider crash in Italy on Thursday. He was 56 years old.
This is him speaking after that record-breaking jump. pic.twitter.com/kk0wjfl9sm
– Associated Press (@AP) July 18, 2025
“I stand on the world outside the universe and stratospheric capsules,” he recalled. “I looked around the sky above me and it turned completely black. I was really trying to suck in the moment. … You were sitting there so when I came back several times, I shed tears in my eyes.
He also described the 800mph autumn difficulties, noting that it was “very uncomfortable.”
“You’re totally lacking in mobility. It always feels like you’re breathing from the pillow,” Baumgartner explained. “You are completely separated from the outside world. So when the visor goes down, all you can hear is that you yourself breathe.”
How did Felix Baumgartner break the sound barrier?
Baumgartner broke the sound barrier with free falls over 800 mph during a Red Bull Stratos jump. The speed of sound is 767 mph at sea level of 68 degrees Fahrenheit.
What happened to Felix Baumgartner?
On July 17, 2025, Baum Gartner lost control of his paraglider and crashed into a hotel swimming pool at F Porto San Terpidio, Italy. According to SkyTG24, the woman was attacked in an accident but was not seriously injured.
The exact cause of Baumgartner’s crash is still unknown, and authorities are investigating it.
Has Felix Baumgartner been married?
No, Baumgartner was not married, but he had a long-term, dedicated relationship with a Romanian businessman and a television host Mihaela Ròdulescu.
