Felix Baumgartner, Known for His Record-Breaking Stratosphere Jump, Dies at 56
Felix's cause of death was announced immediately after his passing.
Updated July 18 2025, 9:49 a.m. ET
Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner died on Thursday, July 17. The athlete, who was 56 years old at the time of his death, is being mourned by the daredevil community.
Felix was known for his record-breaking jump from a helium balloon in the stratosphere to Earth in October 2012, landing in New Mexico, United States, as part of the Red Bull Stratos project. Here's everything to know about his cause of death.
What was Felix Baumgartner's cause of death?
Felix's cause of death was announced immediately after his passing. According to CBS News, the fearless adventurer died during a paragliding accident in Italy. Italian firefighters at the scene confirmed they found a paraglider that had crashed into the side of a swimming pool in the city of Porto Sant'Elpidio, on central Italy's eastern coast. The New York Post reported that the crash left a resort employee injured.
The Post shared it was possible that Felix had a "mid-air heart attack" when he plunged to his death, though there hasn't been an official autopsy as of this writing. In the wake of his death, Italy's mayor, Massimiliano Ciarpella, released a statement regarding the tragedy.
"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," the mayor shared on Facebook.
Felix began skydiving at the age of 16 and continued to develop his skills in the Austrian military. He landed his first major contract with Red Bull in 1988. He continued training extensively during this time, including his five-year training and planning for his historic stratosphere jump, also known as the Stratos jump.
Felix made global headlines when he actually completed the jump, breaking the record for the fastest free fall by descending at about 843.6 mph and becoming the first human to break the sound barrier without the assistance of a vehicle. In the wake of his death, he leaves behind his longtime partner, Mihaela Schwartzenberg. The daredevil didn't have any children before he died.