French Tourist Dies in Death Valley National Park in California
A French visitor died in California’s Death Valley National Park last week after he and a travel companion abandoned their disabled car to seek help.
A 68-year-old French tourist, Pierre Michel Formosa, perished in Death Valley National Park, California, last week. Formosa and his French companion were driving on West Side Road on August 17 when their vehicle became stuck in mud. Upon abandoning their car, the pair ventured toward Badwater Road, a mountainous two-lane highway.
Formosa hiked approximately 1.3 miles before he could proceed no further. His companion continued forward, alerting a motorist who notified the Furnace Creek Visitor Center around 2 p.m. Within 15 minutes, park rangers and an Inyo County deputy initiated a search-and-rescue mission. A helicopter from the California Highway Patrol eventually located Formosa, about 1.5 miles from Badwater Road.
He was pronounced dead at the scene, with the cause of death to be determined by the Inyo County coroner. In a statement to the victim's family, Mike Reynolds, the park superintendent, cautioned visitors about Death Valley's hazards, stating, "Death Valley National Park is an extraordinary place, but its heat, distances and remoteness can be dangerous, regardless of experience."
The park's most popular season is spring, due to cooler temperatures and wildflower blooms, but summer attracts visitors intrigued by triple-digit temperatures. In July 1913, Furnace Creek recorded the world's highest air temperature, 134 degrees. In 2024, the park experienced its hottest summer on record, with an average 24-hour temperature of 104.5 degrees.
On the day of Formosa's death, the temperature soared to 116 degrees. To mitigate the risks on scorching days, rangers advise visitors to remain within a 10-minute walk of their vehicle, which can provide shelter from the harsh Death Valley sun.
Written by urgent.news from The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
