Latest news with #speedofsound
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Daredevil legend 'Fearless Felix' Baumgartner dies in paragliding accident at 56
Felix Baumgartner lived to leap, becoming the first person to fall faster than the speed of sound during a 24-mile skydiving adventure through the stratosphere in 2012. On Thursday, the Austrian daredevil died at age 56 while engaged in a far less intense activity, crashing into the side of a hotel swimming pool while paragliding in Porto Sant Elpidio, a town on central Italy's eastern coast. According to Sky Austria, he became ill before the crash. A hotel employee was hospitalized after sustaining injuries in the accident, the report stated. "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," Porto Sant Elpidio Mayor Massimiliano Ciarpella said on Facebook. The man known as "Fearless Felix" made history 13 years ago when he parachuted down to a landing near Roswell, N.M., after being lifted 24 miles above Earth into the stratosphere in a capsule carried by a helium balloon. He set a record for fastest free fall, descending 127,852 feet at 843.6 mph and becoming the first human to break the sound barrier without the assistance of a vehicle. Read more: Watch skydiver Felix Baumgartner break speed of sound As he exited his capsule and jumped into air that was 70 degrees below zero, Baumgartner gave a thumbs-up to onlookers watching a livestream online. He activated his parachute as he neared the ground. 'When I was standing there on top of the world, you become so humble, you do not think about breaking records anymore, you do not think of about gaining scientific data. The only thing you want is to come back alive,' he said after landing safely. 'Sometimes we have to get really high to see how small we are." Baumgartner's altitude record stood for two years until Google executive Alan Eustace set new marks for the highest free-fall jump and greatest free-fall distance. A former Austrian military parachutist, Baumgartner made numerous jumps from airplanes, skyscrapers and bridges. He also leaped from famed landmarks, including the Christ the Redeemer statue at the summit of Mount Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Read more: Daredevil breaks world record with highest fall He once flew across the English Channel in a carbon fiber wing after being dropped from a plane. The daredevil also performed as a helicopter stunt pilot in shows across Europe. Baumgartner died while engaged in a more prosaic activity. Paragliders are lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched aircraft primarily used for recreation. The pilot sits suspended below a fabric wing. In a statement to Fox News Digital, a representative for Baumgartner's longtime sponsor Red Bull said, "We are shocked and overwhelmed with sadness to hear the devastating news of our longtime friend Felix Baumgartner. "Felix was 'born to fly' and was determined to push the limits. He was also smart, professional, thorough and meticulous, never leaving anything to chance. He was generous, giving much of his time to help and inspiring so many people. "We remember Felix as a lovely person, devoted to his family and friends, to whom we send our heartfelt sympathy. Felix, you will be deeply missed." Read more: Fall 24 miles to Earth with Felix Baumgartner in new space-jump video In an interview with Red Bull years ago, Baumgartner addressed his meticulous preparation before taking flight. "We had a very long list of 'what ifs,' in other words eventualities that could happen and how we would deal with them in an emergency," he said. "The list kept getting longer and longer. I was only afraid of the things that were not on the list, the things we had not thought of. To this day, I abort missions if the conditions are not right." Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
New York Times
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Felix Baumgartner, Professional Daredevil, Dies Paragliding at 56
Felix Baumgartner, a professional daredevil and skydiver who fell faster than the speed of sound from the edge of space in 2012, died in a paragliding accident in Italy on Thursday, according to Red Bull, the company behind Mr. Baumgartner's extreme jumps. He was 56. Mr. Baumgartner crashed a few yards from a swimming pool in a tourist part of Porto Sant'Elpidio on Italy's Adriatic Coast, Massimiliano Ciarpella, the town's mayor, said on Friday morning. The cause of death was still unknown, Mr. Ciarpella said, but added that Mr. Baumgartner had become ill during his flight and had already lost consciousness by the time of impact. An autopsy will determine the exact cause of death, he said. Hours before his death on Thursday, Mr. Baumgartner posted a picture on Instagram of a scene showing gray cloudy skies and a billowing wind sock, with the words 'too much wind.' Mr. Baumgartner, a former Austrian paratrooper nicknamed 'Fearless Felix,' became the first person to break the sound barrier with his body on Oct. 14, 2012, when he jumped after ascending by giant helium balloon to an altitude of 128,100 feet over New Mexico in a project called 'Red Bull Stratos.' He reached a maximum speed of 833.9 miles per hour before he opened his parachute. It took Mr. Baumgartner four minutes and 20 seconds to safely land in the New Mexico desert. 'It was harder than I expected,' he said after the jump. 'When you stand up there on top of the world, you become so humble. It's not about breaking records any more. It's not about getting scientific data. It's all about coming home.' Millions of people watched Mr. Baumgartner's jump, which was broadcast on live television and streamed on YouTube. 'Felix was 'born to fly' and was determined to push the limits,' Red Bull said in the statement issued on his death. 'He was also smart, professional, thorough and meticulous, never leaving anything to chance.' Mr. Baumgartner started skydiving when he was 16. He joined the Austrian military's demonstration and competition team, where he developed his skills, according to his website, and began performing skydiving exhibitions for Red Bull in 1988. In the decades since, he completed thousands of extreme jumps, including BASE jumps and skydiving. He also became a professional helicopter pilot. 'Ever since I was a child,' he said in an interview on the Red Bull website, 'I have always wanted to jump out of a plane.' A full obituary will follow.
Arab News
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
Skydiver Felix Baumgartner, who jumped from the edge of space, dies in Italy crash
MILAN: Extreme athlete Felix Baumgartner, the first skydiver to fall faster than the speed of sound during a 39 kilometer leap through the stratosphere more than a decade ago, died in a crash Thursday along the eastern coast of Italy. He was 56. Italian firefighters who responded said a paraglider crashed into the side of a swimming pool in the city of Porto Sant Elpidio. The city's mayor confirmed Baumgartner's death in a social media post. '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,' Mayor Massimiliano Ciarpella said. Baumgartner, known as 'Fearless Felix,' stunned the world in 2012 when he became the first human to break the sound barrier with only his body. He wore a pressurized suit and jumped from a capsule hoisted more than 24 miles (39 kilometers) above Earth by a giant helium balloon over New Mexico. The Austrian, who was part of the Red Bull Stratos team, topped out at 843.6 mph — the equivalent of 1.25 times the speed of sound — during a nine-minute descent. At one point, he went into a potentially dangerous flat spin while still supersonic, spinning for 13 seconds, his crew later said. 'When I was standing there on top of the world, you become so humble, you do not think about of breaking records anymore, you do not think of about gaining scientific data. The only thing you want is to come back alive,' he said after landing in the eastern New Mexico desert. The altitude he jumped from also was the highest-ever for a skydiver, shattering the previous record set in 1960 by Joe Kittinger, who served as an adviser to Baumgartner during his feat. Baumgartner's altitude record stood for two years until Google executive Alan Eustace set new marks for the highest free-fall jump and greatest free-fall distance. In 2012, millions watched YouTube's livestream as Baumgartner coolly flashed a thumbs-up when he came out of the capsule high above Earth and then activated his parachute as he neared the ground, lifting his arms in victory after he landed. Baumgartner, a former Austrian military parachutist, made thousands of jumps from planes, bridges, skyscrapers and famed landmarks, including the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil. In 2003, he flew across the English Channel in a carbon fiber wing after being dropped from a plane. In recent years, he performed with The Flying Bulls as a helicopter stunt pilot in shows across Europe. Baumgartner said after his record-breaking jump in 2012 that traveling faster than sound is 'hard to describe because you don't feel it.' 'Sometimes we have to get really high to see how small we are,' he said.
Washington Post
18-07-2025
- General
- Washington Post
Felix Baumgartner, skydiver who free-fell from edge of space, dies in crash
Felix Baumgartner, the Austrian skydiver who became the first human to travel faster than the speed of sound without the assistance of a craft during his record-breaking leap through the stratosphere, died Thursday after crashing into a town along the eastern coast of Italy, authorities said. He was 56.
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Record-breaking skydiver Felix Baumgartner dies in paraglider crash
Extreme athlete Felix Baumgartner, the first skydiver to fall faster than the speed of sound during a 24-mile leap through the stratosphere more than a decade ago, died in a crash on Thursday along the eastern coast of Italy. He was 56. Italian firefighters said a paraglider crashed into the side of a swimming pool in the city of Porto Sant Elpidio. The city's mayor, Massimiliano Ciarpella, confirmed Baumgartner's death in a social media post. '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,' Mr Ciarpella said. Baumgartner, known as 'Fearless Felix', stunned the world in 2012 when he became the first human to break the sound barrier with only his body. He wore a pressurised suit and jumped from a capsule hoisted more than 24 miles above Earth by a giant helium balloon over New Mexico. READ MORE: Who is Andy Byron? The tech billionaire caught in an embarrassing clinch at a Coldplay gig READ MORE: Conor McGregor embroiled in new scandal as Azealia Banks leaks nude photos The Austrian, who was part of the Red Bull Stratos team, topped out at 843.6 mph, the equivalent of 1.25 times the speed of sound, during a nine-minute descent. 'When I was standing there on top of the world, you become so humble, you do not think about of breaking records any more, you do not think of about gaining scientific data. 'The only thing you want is to come back alive,' he said after landing in the eastern New Mexico desert. The altitude from which he jumped also marked the highest for a skydiver, shattering the previous record set in 1960 by Joe Kittinger, who was an adviser to Baumgartner during his feat. Baumgartner's altitude record stood for two years until Google executive Alan Eustace set new marks for the highest free-fall jump and greatest free-fall distance. In 2012, millions watched YouTube's livestream as Baumgartner coolly flashed a thumbs-up when he came out of the capsule high above Earth and then activated his parachute as he neared the ground, lifting his arms in victory after he landed. Baumgartner, a former Austrian military parachutist, made thousands of jumps from planes, bridges, skyscrapers and famed landmarks around the world, including the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil. In 2003 he flew across the English Channel in a carbon fibre wing after being dropped from a plane. In recent years, he performed with The Flying Bulls as a helicopter stunt pilot in shows across Europe. He later said travelling faster than sound is 'hard to describe because you don't feel it'. 'Sometimes we have to get really high to see how small we are,' he said.
