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

A French tourist, Pierre Michel Formosa, died in Death Valley, California, after his vehicle got stuck in mud on August 17, 2026. He and a companion attempted to walk to Badwater Road for help amid extreme temperatures of 116 degrees. Formosa stopped after 1.3 miles, while his companion reached the road and alerted authorities. Search teams later found Formosa's body about 1.5 miles from the road.