Felix Baumgartner, the renowned Austrian skydiver and extreme athlete, died Thursday at age 56. Baumgartner, famous for breaking the sound barrier during a record-breaking 2012 skydive from over 24 miles above Earth as part of the Red Bull Stratos project, tragically perished in a paragliding accident in Italy. Firefighters reported his paraglider crashed into a pool. Red Bull released a statement eulogizing Baumgartner, highlighting his courage and precision. His career included numerous daring stunts, such as a BASE jump from the Christ the Redeemer statue and the Taipei 101 skyscraper.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.