A 68-year-old French tourist has died after becoming stranded in California's Death Valley National Park amid sweltering temperatures. According to a statement from the National Park Service, Pierre Michel Formosa and his travel companion were driving on West Side Road along the Badwater Basin on August 17 when their vehicle became stuck in mud. With no other vehicles in the area, the men began walking across the salt flats toward Badwater Road to seek assistance.
Temperatures were as high as 116°F on the day of the incident, and Formosa was eventually unable to continue. His companion continued on and eventually received help from a passing motorist, who alerted park officials at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center at around 2 p.m. National Park Service rangers, along with an Inyo County sheriff's deputy, began searching for Formosa, who was later found by a California Highway Patrol helicopter about 1.5 miles from Badwater Road.
Formosa was pronounced dead at the scene, and the Inyo County coroner will determine the cause and manner of death. Death Valley National Park Superintendent Mike Reynolds expressed gratitude to those who participated in the search, and offered condolences to Formosa's loved ones. Reynolds also noted that the incident is a reminder of the dangers of Death Valley's extreme heat, distances, and remoteness, even for experienced visitors.
The incident comes after several other deaths at national parks this summer, including the deaths of an 18-year-old hiker at the Grand Canyon and a 30-year-old rock climber at Sequoia National Park.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
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