The car gets stuck in the mud, it’s 47 degrees outside: tourist dies in Death Valley park

Tragic holiday for a 68-year-old Frenchman, Pierre Michel Formosa, who died while attempting to cross Death Valley National Park in California. His car got stuck in the mud, he left the vehicle and set out …

Jack Williams

Written by: Jack Williams

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The car gets stuck in the mud, it's 47 degrees outside: tourist dies in Death Valley park

Tragic holiday for a 68-year-old Frenchman, Pierre Michel Formosa, who died while attempting to cross Death Valley National Park in California. His car got stuck in the mud, he left the vehicle and set out on foot to look for help, but the temperature outside was 46.6 degrees and he had no escape.

The SOS

According to what has been reconstructed, the tourist was with a friend. After being stranded, the two decided to abandon the vehicle and continue on foot towards Badwater Road, a popular tourist destination, to seek help. After walking for more than 2 kilometers under the scorching sun, Formosa stopped while his traveling companion continued alone towards Badwater Road, where he received help from a motorist. Rescuers were mobilized with ground teams and a helicopter, but by the time Formosa was spotted it was too late. Coroners will determine the exact cause of death.

“This is a heartbreaking reminder of how quickly conditions here can become dangerous,” said Mike Reynolds, director of Death Valley National Park. “This is an extraordinary place, but the heat, distance and isolation can be dangerous, no matter the experience.”

Death Valley

The entire Death Valley is 225 kilometers long and on average 40 kilometers wide. The park is about 170 kilometers long and penetrates north for a short stretch into Nevada. An extreme heat warning is currently in effect. Many tour operators have suspended organized excursions due to the exceptional heat. The valley calls itself “the hottest place on Earth,” according to its official website, having recorded a global maximum temperature of 57°C (134°F) in 1913.

Record heat waves have endangered tourists visiting iconic U.S. landmarks throughout the summer. At least four hikers died while hiking in the Grand Canyon in June, Arizona state authorities reported.

Death Valley – image from the official website

Jack Williams

Jack Williams

Jack Williams established himself as the editor-in-chief of The Vermilion with rigorous journalistic traits and an incessant quest for truth. His career began as an investigative reporter, where he quickly gained a reputation for his in-depth research and insightful articles. Williams takes his role at The Vermilion very seriously. Since he became editor-in-chief, he has set an editorial line based on impartiality, factual accuracy, and context relevance; this has established The Vermilion as a reference for political, economic, and global news. Under his leadership, the media continues its mission of reporting news with accuracy and equanimity, giving a voice to those who are often overlooked by large-scale media. Jack dedicates himself to fulfilling this mandate with passion, rigour, and unwavering determination.

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