In brief
Pierre Michel Formosa, a 68‑year‑old French traveller, died after becoming trapped by heat and a mud‑filled patch on West Side Road in Death Valley. The National Park Service located his vehicle and found Formosa dead after he and his companion walked across the salt flats to seek help. The incident underscores the danger posed by record heat and remote terrain in the park, where earlier this year’s summer saw several heat‑related deaths.
French Tourist Dies in Death Valley After Car Gets Stuck in Mud
A French tourist has died in California’s Death Valley after becoming stranded on the side of the road during 46.6°C (116°F) heat.
Police found 68‑year‑old Pierre Michel Formosa following a brief search, and the National Park Service said the man died while seeking help in the blistering heat when his car slipped into a muddy patch.
"This is a heartbreaking reminder of how quickly conditions here can turn dangerous," Death Valley National Park Superintendent Mike Reynolds said in a statement.
Soaring temperatures across the United States have sparked record heatwaves, leading to dozens of heat‑related deaths this summer.
Formosa was driving through Death Valley with his French travelling companion last Monday when their vehicle became stuck in mud on West Side Road.
The pair walked across the salt flats to seek help but the severe heat stopped the 68‑year‑old after only 1.3 miles, according to the park. The companion managed to hail a nearby driver, and rangers and police found Formosa later that afternoon, where he was pronounced dead.
"Death Valley is an extraordinary place, but its heat, distances, and remoteness can be dangerous, regardless of experience," Reynolds added.
"We're grateful to everyone who took part in the search, and our thoughts are with his loved ones," the superintendent said.
Coroners will determine the exact cause and manner of his death, the park said.
An extreme heat warning is currently in effect across Death Valley, which brands itself as the "hottest place on Earth", according to its official website, having recorded a global high of 57°C (134°F) in 1913.
The National Weather Service forecasters noted Southern California would experience its "hottest week of summer so far".
Record heatwaves have endangered tourists visiting U.S. landmarks throughout the summer. At least four hikers died in June while trekking through the Grand Canyon, state authorities reported in Arizona.
