A French tourist died this month in Death Valley National Park after his vehicle became stranded, leading him to attempt a trek across the salt flats in extreme heat. Pierre Michel Formosa, 68, and his travel companion were driving on West Side Road near the Badwater Basin on Aug. 17 when their vehicle became stuck in mud.
With no other vehicles in the vicinity, the two men began walking across the salt flats toward Badwater Road to seek assistance. Temperatures in the park were recorded as high as 116°F (46.7°C). Formosa was eventually unable to continue his walk.
Formosa's companion continued onward and was eventually assisted by a passing motorist, who then alerted park officials. National Park Service (NPS) rangers and an Inyo County sheriff's deputy initiated a search for Formosa. A California Highway Patrol helicopter located him later that afternoon, approximately 1.5 miles from Badwater Road. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The Inyo County coroner will determine the official cause and manner of death.
In a statement, Death Valley National Park Superintendent Mike Reynolds expressed gratitude for the search efforts and offered condolences to Formosa's loved ones. Reynolds emphasized that the park's extreme heat, vast distances, and remote conditions can quickly become dangerous, regardless of a visitor's experience.
This incident follows other recent fatalities in national parks. Earlier in the summer, an 18-year-old hiker died from heat-related symptoms on the Grand Canyon's Bright Angel Trail. In August, rock climber Jake Whisenant, 30, died from blunt-force trauma injuries sustained in a fall at Sequoia National Park.