Felix Baumgartner’s final social media video posted hours before death in paragliding accident

Extreme athlete Felix Baumgartner posed a video of himself meeting a young fan, just hours before he died in a paragliding accident.

The 56-year-old, known for his record-breaking skydive from the edge of space, died after he lost control of his motorised paraglider while flying over Porto Saint’Elpido in Italy on Thursday (17 July).

Porto Sant'Elpidio's mayor, Massimiliano Ciarpella, said reports suggested he may have suffered a sudden medical issue mid-air, and offered the town's condolences for the death of "a symbol of courage and passion for extreme flights".

Just hours before his death, the athlete shared a video of himself meeting a young fan, called Emily.