French Tourist Dies in Death Valley After Vehicle Stuck in Mud

A 68-year-old French tourist has died in Death Valley National Park after becoming stranded in extreme heat when his vehicle got stuck on a remote road. The visitor, identified as Pierre Michel Formosa, was traveling with a companion when their car became mired in mud along the unpaved West Side Road near Queen of Sheba Mine Road. With temperatures reaching 116 degrees Fahrenheit, the pair attempted to walk across the open salt flats toward the more traveled Badwater Road to seek assistance.

After walking approximately 1.3 miles, Formosa was unable to continue. His companion pressed on alone and eventually reached Badwater Road, where a passing motorist provided help. The companion then reported the situation at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center shortly after 2 p.m. National Park Service rangers and an Inyo County Sheriff's deputy initiated a search and rescue operation around 2:15 p.m. A California Highway Patrol helicopter joined the effort and located Formosa that afternoon about 1.5 miles from Badwater Road. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The Inyo County Coroner's Office will determine the official cause and manner of death.

The incident underscores the well-documented...