French Tourist Tragically Lost in Death Valley After Car Gets Stuck in Mud

A 68‑year‑old French citizen, Pierre Michel Formosa, died in Mother Nature’s most unforgiving place, Death Valley, California, after his vehicle became stranded in mud during a record‑high temperature of 46.6 °C (116 °F). The National Park Service confirmed the body was found after an extensive search and that the man died while attempting to seek help in the scorching heat.

Formosa was traveling through the valley with a French companion on Monday. When their car stalled on West Side Road, the pair crossed the surrounding salt flats in an attempt to locate assistance. The 68‑year‑old was unable to complete the 1.3‑mile trek across the deserts, and police later located him on the afternoon of the same day.

“Death Valley is an extraordinary place, but its heat, distances, and remoteness can be dangerous, regardless of experience,” Superintendent Mike Reynolds said. “We’re grateful to everyone who participated in the search, and our thoughts are with his loved ones.”

Authorities are awaiting the coroner’s determination of the exact cause and manner of death. The incident underscores the risks posed by the country’s hottest summer to visitors of historic and natural sites.

Only four hikers were reported dead in June after rugged climbs across the Grand Canyon, Arizona’s state authorities said, reminding people that extreme temperatures can be fatal in even well‑known landscapes.