Overview
- A 68-year-old visitor from France, Pierre Michel Formosa, died after his vehicle became stuck on West Side Road and he left on foot for help.
- On Monday, Aug. 17, the two men walked across the park’s salt flats in about 116°F heat and Formosa was unable to continue after roughly 1.3 miles.
- Formosa’s companion reached Badwater Road and reported the situation just after 2 p.m., and rangers and an Inyo County deputy launched a search about 2:13 p.m.
- A California Highway Patrol helicopter located Formosa about 1.5 miles from Badwater Road that afternoon and he was pronounced dead at the scene; the Inyo County coroner will complete an autopsy.
- Death Valley officials reiterated advice to carry ample water, avoid hiking in the heat after 10 a.m., stay with a disabled vehicle when possible, and use satellite communication because cell service is limited, noting the park’s history of recent heat-related deaths.