Extreme athlete Felix Baumgartner, the first skydiver to fall faster than the speed of sound more than a decade ago, died in a crash Thursday along the eastern coast of Italy.

Felix Baumgartner made global headlines in 2012 when he jumped from the stratosphere and parachuted down to a landing in New Mexico.

Skyfall: Felix Baumgartner Dies at 56 After a Life Above the Limits Remember the man who shattered the sound barrier with nothing but a parachute and a will to fly.

Felix Baumgartner, the daredevil who made a record-breaking parachute jump from the stratosphere in 2012, died Thursday in a paragliding accident in Italy, a local mayor confirmed.

Felix Baumgartner, the first person to fall faster than the speed of sound, died at 56 after crashing into a hotel swimming pool while paragliding in Italy.