Man dies after vehicle gets stranded in Death Valley, attempts trek across blistering salt flats
A French tourist died this month after becoming stranded in California's Death Valley National Park amid sweltering temperatures.The National Park Service (NPS) announced the death of Pierre Michel Formosa, 68, on Aug.21.Park officials said Formosa and his travel companion, also a French national, were driving on West Side Road along the Badwater Basin on Aug.
17 when their vehicle "became stuck in mud."NURSE IMPALED BY POLE DURING HIKE FORCED TO TREK 10 MILES FOR HELP: 'A FREAK THING'"With no other vehicles in the area, the men began walking across the salt flats toward Badwater Road to seek assistance," park officials said.Temperatures were as high as 116°F — and eventually Formosa was "unable to continue."A 68-year-old tourist died recently during a visit to California's Death Valley National Park in August.(Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)Formosa's companion continued on and eventually was helped by a passing motorist — who alerted officials at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center at around 2 p.m.NPS rangers soon began searching for Formosa, along with an Inyo County sheriff’s deputy.YELLOWSTONE OFFICIALS DECIDE FATE OF BISON THAT LAUNCHED GRANDFATHER 8 FEET IN AIRA California Highway Patrol helicopter later joined the search and found Formosa later that afternoon, about 1.5 miles from Badwater Road."He was pronounced dead at the scene," NPS officials said.With no other vehicles nearby, the two travelers set out across Death Valley's salt flats, seen above, toward Badwater Road for help.
(Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)"The Inyo County coroner will determine the cause and manner of death."CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTERIn a statement, Death Valley National Park Superintendent Mike Reynolds said he was "grateful to everyone who took part in the search, and our thoughts are with his loved ones."Death Valley National Park recorded temperatures as high as 116 degrees when two individuals (not pictured) encountered troubl...