French tourist dies in Death Valley after car gets stuck in mud

What the report says

A French tourist has died in California’s Death Valley after his vehicle became stuck in mud during extreme heat, according to BBC World News. The man was identified as 68-year-old Pierre Michel Formosa. The BBC reported that he was travelling with a companion last Monday when the car stalled on West Side Road, leaving the pair to walk across the salt flats in search of help.

The National Park Service said Formosa was unable to continue after covering about 1.3 miles in temperatures reaching 46.6C (116F). His companion later flagged down another driver, and rangers and police found Formosa later that afternoon, when he was pronounced dead. Death Valley National Park Superintendent Mike Reynolds said the incident was a reminder of how fast conditions in the area can become dangerous.

Death Valley is known for some of the hottest conditions on Earth, and an extreme heat warning was in effect at the time, BBC World News noted. The report also said Southern California was facing what forecasters described as the hottest week of summer so far. The park said coroners would determine the official cause and manner of death. The case comes amid broader US summer heatwaves that have already led to other heat-related fatalities, including deaths among hikers in the Grand Canyon.