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 degrees Fahrenheit (46.6 degrees Celsius) 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 Center.
