Icarus was trying to escape from the island of Crete when he set off on his fateful flight. Icarus and his father, Daedalus, had been imprisoned on the island by King Minos. Daedalus had crafted wings made of feathers and wax for himself and his son, and the two of them set off to escape. Unfortunately, Icarus flew too close to the sun, causing the wax to melt and his wings to fall apart, leading to his death.