Felix Baumgartner, the world-renowned Austrian pilot who was named National Geographic’s 2013 People’s Choice Adventurer of the Year for his fearless aerial feats, has died in Italy.

Austrian extreme sports pioneer Felix Baumgartner, famed for a record-breaking 2012 skydive from the edge of space, died on Thursday in a paragliding accident in central Italy, local police said.

“Our community is deeply affected by the tragic disappearance of Felix Baumgartner, a figure of global prominence, a symbol of courage and passion for extreme flight,” the mayor said.