In brief
A 68‑year‑old French tourist, Pierre Michel Formosa, was found dead after his car got stuck in the salt flats of Death Valley on a scorching August day. The National Park Service said he and his companion attempted to seek help on foot, but the heat forced the older passenger to stop after 1.3 miles. Park officials highlighted how rapidly Death Valley’s conditions can become deadly and noted deaths from heat‑related illnesses across the United States. The incident draws attention to the widespread impact of record‑setting heatwaves on recreational travelers.
A 68‑year‑old French visitor, Pierre Michel Formosa, lost his life while attempting to seek help after his vehicle became stuck in the mud of Death Valley’s salt flats during an August heat wave that reached 46.6 °C (116 °F).
Police and park rangers located Formosa after a brief search. According to the Death Valley National Park Service, he was found near the salt flats and was pronounced dead. The National Park Superintendent, Mike Reynolds, said, "This is a heartbreaking reminder of how quickly conditions here can turn dangerous."
The 68‑year‑old was driving through the valley with a French companion when their car stalled on West Side Road. They walked across the salt flats in an attempt to find help, but the severe heat forced the older traveler to stop after walking 1.3 miles. The companion managed to hail a nearby driver, helping to alert authorities.
Reynolds noted the unique combination of extreme heat, great distances, and remote terrain in Death Valley, describing it as "an extraordinary place where conditions can become perilous, even for experienced visitors." He added that rangers and police would investigate the cause and manner of death through coronial inquiry.
The incident comes amid a broader trend of heat‑related mortalities across the United States. Authorities have warned that Southern California may experience its hottest week of the summer, following the record‑setting 57 °C (134 °F) that the valley recorded in 1913. This heat has already claimed several lives, including four hikers who died in June while trekking through the Grand Canyon.
