A French visitor to California’s Death Valley National Park has died after becoming stranded during extreme heat conditions. The 68-year-old man, Pierre Michel Formosa, was traveling with a companion when their vehicle became stuck in mud on West Side Road. The pair initially attempted to seek assistance by walking across the salt flats in temperatures reaching 46.6 degrees Celsius (116 degrees Fahrenheit).
After walking approximately 1.3 miles, Formosa was unable to continue due to the severe heat. His traveling companion managed to flag down another driver for help. Rangers and police located Formosa later that afternoon, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The National Park Service did not immediately specify the cause of death, noting that coroners would make that determination.
Park officials emphasized the dangers posed by Death Valley’s extreme environment. Superintendent Mike Reynolds stated that the incident underscores how rapidly conditions in the area can become life-threatening. Death Valley holds the distinction of being the site of the highest temperature ever reliably recorded on Earth, a reading of 57 degrees Celsius (134 degrees Fahrenheit) documented in 1913.
The death occurs amid widespread extreme heat affecting the United States, with an extreme heat warning currently in effect at Death Valley. The National Weather Service has forecasted that Southern California would experience its hottest week of the summer season. Multiple heat-related fatalities have been reported across the country, including at least four hiker deaths reported at the Grand Canyon in June.
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