Felix Baumgartner, who became a household name over a decade ago, has perished in a paragliding accident.

The Austrian skydiver rose to international prominence after jumping from a helium balloon in 2012.

On Thursday (July 17), he died in a paragliding accident near Porto Sant’Elpidio, eastern Italy.

According to local media, the 56-year-old lost consciousness while in flight before losing control of his paraglider. He then crashed into a hotel pool, lightly injuring a staff worker.

The daredevil allegedly died quickly. The employee was brought to the hospital and is alleged to have had neck injuries.

Most tragically, hours before his death, Baumgartner posted on his Instagram account with the phrase “Too much wind.”

Following the event, Austria’s foreign ministry verified reports to Germany’s dpa news agency.

The energy drink business Red Bull, which had previously sponsored several of Baumgartner’s achievements, also confirmed his death.

Baumgartner rose to prominence while working with Red Bull in 2012, when he jumped from a helium balloon about 24 miles above Earth.

This was the highest manned balloon flight and the highest free fall at the time.

During this leap, he achieved a top speed of 834 mph, breaking the sound barrier.

Tributes on social media have begun to pour in, with many praising Baumgartner’s outstanding accomplishments and commitment to his job.