A French tourist has died after he and his traveling companion became stranded while driving through California’s Death Valley in sweltering temperatures.
Pierre Michel Formosa, 68, and the second Frenchman – who has not been named – were driving on West Side Road on August 17 when their vehicle got stuck in mud, according to a statement from the National Park Service.
With no passing vehicles to call on for help, the pair began walking across the salt flats in search of assistance.
But with temperatures hitting 116 F (46.6 C) that day, Formosa stopped after about 1.3 miles.
His companion carried on until he met a passing motorist and then reported the incident at the Furnace Creek Visitor Centre.
Minutes later, a search and rescue operation was launched by U.S. National Park Service rangers and an Inyo County deputy.
A helicopter from the California Highway Patrol joined the search and found Formosa later that afternoon, officials said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Our deepest condolences are with the family and friends of the visitor who died,” said Death Valley National Park Superintendent Mike Reynolds in the statement.
“This is a heartbreaking reminder of how quickly conditions here can turn dangerous. Death Valley is an extraordinary place, but its heat, distances, and remoteness can be dangerous, regardless of experience. We’re grateful to everyone who took part in the search, and our thoughts are with his loved ones,” Reynolds added.
A coroner for Inyo County will determine the cause and manner of Formosa’s death.
An extreme heat warning is currently in place for Death Valley, which is the lowest, hottest and driest portion of the North American continent and the United States’ largest national park outside of Alaska.
Temperatures are expected to reach up to 118 degrees F (47.8 C) between Tuesday and Friday, according to the warning issued by the National Weather Service.
Officials are reminding visitors that cell phone service is “limited or nonexistent” in the vast and remote park and that “emergency help can be hours away.”
Guidance includes carrying ample water and supplies, checking road and weather conditions in advance and taking an alternative means of communication, such as a satellite communicator or emergency beacon.
“If your vehicle becomes disabled, staying with it is often the safest choice. It provides shade and shelter, and it’s far easier for search teams to spot than a person on foot in open terrain,” the National Park Service’s guidance adds.
