Two visitors from France died Tuesday afternoon while hiking the Alkali Flat Trail in White Sands National Monument. A child in the group was found alive, rescued by monument and local emergency personnel, and treated for heat exposure.
Park rangers discovered the three French nationals while on routine trail patrol approximately 1.5 miles from the Alkali Flat trailhead. The body of the woman was found about 5:30 p.m. and the man’s body and surviving boy about half an hour later. The daytime high temperature in the monument Tuesday reached 101 degrees F.
The deaths are being investigated by the Otero County (NM) Sheriff’s Office. French authorities were immediately notified and are assisting in the case.