Tragic end: extreme athlete Baumgartner dies during paragliding!

Tragic end: extreme athlete Baumgartner dies during paragliding!

Porto Sant’Elpidio, Italien - The extreme athlete Felix Baumgartner, known for his daring jumps from dizzying heights, died in a tragic slide-off crash in Italy on Thursday, July 19, 2025. The 56-year-old and his partner, Mihaela Radulescu Schwartzenberg, spent her vacation there when the misfortune near Porto Sant’elpidio on the Adriatic coast happened. Initial investigations indicate that Baumgartner might have suffered a weakness in the weakness during the flight. According to the Reporting of Boyens Medien, the autopsy resulted in no evidence of a heart attack, which increases speculation about sudden health impairment.

Witness reports also describe a troubling course of the flight. Baumgartner is said to have controlled the paraglider device in a spiral flight maneuver before there was an impact caused by the failure of the screen. Investigators check the possibility that a self -installed camera that was attached to Baumgartner's paraglider could have come into the propeller. This hypothesis is supported by the VOL.AT, since it was a thin cord that may have been torn down during the flight and led to the collapse of the umbrella.

technical reviews and security concerns

The public prosecutor's office Fermo has initiated an extensive investigation and commissioned a technical expert to clarify the exact circumstances of the crash. The analysis of Baumgartner's bodycam recordings will also contribute to the ongoing investigation. Baumgartner only tried to activate the emergency screen only when it is low when there was a low height flight, but it was already too late for that. A tragic fact, especially since he did not call for help and the flight height was too low to successfully trigger the system.

The dangers of paragliding flies should not be underestimated, as the analyzes on the Bergstrassen-model. Despite the sport perceived by many as less dangerous, it carries considerable risks, such as equipment failures, weather conditions and human mistakes. The current case of Baumgartner once again makes it clear how important comprehensive training, regular maintenance of equipment and precise weather observation are to prevent such tragedies.

Radulescu Schwartzenberg emphasized that Baumgartner always paid attention to his health and had no known heart diseases. So far, the public prosecutor has published no further information about the exact approach of the accident, and Baumgartner's body is only transferred to Austria after the official approval by the Italian authorities. A funeral date has not yet been determined.

This tragic accident recalls that even the most experienced extreme athletes are exposed to the unpredictable forces of nature and that security should be top priority when flapping paragliding.