Iconic space skydiver Felix Baumgartner dies aged 52 as new stunt ends in tragedy

Daredevil Felix Baumgartner has died at 56 years old after a paragliding stunt went wrong. The Austrian is known across the world for his daring tricks and became a household name in 2012 when he jumped out of a helium balloon from 24 miles in space.

Baumgartner's latest stunt ended in tragedy when, according to Sky Austria, he suffered a "sudden onset of illness" while paragliding in Italy. He was in Porto Sant'Elpidio when the accident occurred, with reports claiming that the illness made him lose control and crash into the ground below.

Baumgartner crashed into a hotel swimming pool, with claims that he was killed instantly upon impact. Meanwhile, a hotel employee is also believed to have been injured in the accident, having been struck by the paragliding equipment as it came towards the ground. The employee involved was taken to the hospital for checks on potential neck injuries, but isn't said to be in a serious condition.

Just hours before the accident, Baumgartner posted an Instagram story from what appeared to be an airfield with the caption: "Too much wind".

Baumgartner had become the first ever stuntman to break the sound barrier in freefall, doing so to an audience of eight million people on YouTube. During his career, Baumgartner broke eight Guinness world records, including the largest balloon with a human on board, the highest altitude reach untethered outside a vehicle and the most concurrent views for a live event on YouTube.

In a column on Newsweek in 2022, Baumgartner opened up about his thoughts from the space dive. He said: "It really mattered to me to be the first human to break the speed of sound in freefall.

"Since I was a little kid, I've always looked up to people who left a footprint on this planet. I called them 'map makers' -people who drew a map so others could follow. I always wanted to be one of them but I never knew what my map could be, what kind of footprint I could leave on this planet. But now I think I have left a footprint...

"I believe big dreamers always win. This time 10 years ago my team and I were considered to be big dreamers. We were the underdog, and a lot of people did not believe in us. But we taught them a lesson. And now, a decade later, it's time to enjoy what we have accomplished."