Autopsy to Determine Cause of Death of Felix Baumgartner

Engine failure or sudden cardiac arrest: Technical investigations and an autopsy are to clarify why the extreme athlete Felix Baumgartner, who was vacationing with his partner in the central Italian Adriatic resort of Porto Sant ́Elpidio, suddenly lost control of his motor paraglider on Thursday afternoon and fell to his death.

The public prosecutor's office in the central Italian city of Fermo has launched an investigation to determine the cause of death of the extreme athlete Felix Baumgartner on Thursday in the holiday resort of Porto Sant'Elpidio. This is a necessary step to conduct assessments on the motor paraglider with which the 56-year-old crashed. Investigators want to examine possible footage from the bodycam that Baumgartner wore during his last flight.

After the autopsy, the hypothesis that the native of Salzburg suffered a cardiac arrest and thereby lost control of the paraglider, which according to some eyewitnesses is said to have suddenly spun around its own axis before crashing to the ground, is being reinforced, according to investigator circles in Fermo.

Felix Baumgartner Dies in Paraglider Accident in Italy

Baumgartner had taken off from a paraglider platform near Porto Sant Elpidio. Shortly thereafter, witnesses observed that the motor paraglider lost power and crashed. The 56-year-old collided with a wooden hut by the swimming pool of the holiday village "Le Mimose del Club del Sole". Rescue workers immediately tried to resuscitate the native of Salzburg, including with prolonged heart massage. A rescue helicopter also arrived, but all resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful.

No Call for Help During the Flight

Baumgartner is said not to have called for help during the flight, as determined by the Carabinieri investigating the case. Therefore, it is suspected that he had already suffered a cardiac arrest in the air and lost control of the paraglider. During the crash, an employee of the holiday village was injured in the neck. She was hit by a piece of debris that came loose upon the vehicle's impact. The woman received medical first aid on site and was then taken to the hospital.

At the time of the crash, several people were in the pool of the holiday complex. Therefore, the outcome of the accident could have been much worse. After the paraglider's impact, a strong smell of gasoline spread in the area, so the fire department was also alerted. The entire area around the swimming pool, where many families with children were present, was cordoned off.

Italian Vacation with Partner Mihaela

Felix Baumgartner arrived in Italy a week ago. He stayed at Villa Capodarco, an accommodation amidst the greenery of the hills around the coastal city of Fermo, as reported by the daily newspaper "Corriere Adriatico." In recent days, he shared impressions from Italy on his social media channels and published aerial photographs while flying over the coast and the hilly landscape with a view of the Adriatic Sea. In a post from last Sunday, he even described the area as "Heaven on Earth" - a paradise on earth. Baumgartner stayed in the community together with his partner Mihaela Rădulescu, a well-known Romanian journalist and television presenter.

Last Instagram Story Two Hours Before Crash: "Too Much Wind"

Only two hours before his death, Baumgartner posted an Instagram story. The video shows the 56-year-old with a black cap during his preparations for the paragliding flight. "Man at work," commented Baumgartner. And added: "Too much wind." It was to be his last post. Six days ago, he posted on Facebook: "Flying holiday greetings from Fermo - Italy. Where are you vacationing this year?" Fermo is the province in the central Italian Adriatic region of Marche, where the holiday resort Porto Sant'Elpidio is located.

Porto Sant'Elpidio, a small town with 25,000 inhabitants, is a well-known seaside resort on the Adriatic coast. It is known for its long sandy beach lined with a pine grove and the promenade with many restaurants and bars. The town is a popular destination for families and offers numerous holiday villages and campsites, many of which are located directly by the sea.

Shock After Death of Extreme Athlete

"We are shocked and infinitely sad," responded Red Bull Austria on Instagram to the accident. Baumgartner was someone who pushed boundaries and was always "absolutely professional, highly focused, incredibly meticulous." "Felix left nothing to chance." He helped many people and inspired even more.

Italian media reacted with dismay to Baumgartner's death. "The last flight of the king of base jumpers ended in death," headlined the Milan daily newspaper "Corriere della Sera" in its report on Baumgartner's accident. "The base jumper who jumped from space fatally crashes in Italy," commented the sports daily "Gazzetta dello Sport."

The mayor of the city of Fermo, Paolo Calcinaro, expressed condolences to Baumgartner's family. "Felix Baumgartner had chosen our city to spend a few vacation days with his family - but fate took him from life during a flight over Porto Sant'Elpidio. My condolences and those of the entire city of Fermo go to a 'superhero' who made the world hold its breath when he even plunged from space. Rest in peace," wrote the mayor on social networks.

(APA/Red)

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