Filipino teen dies in UK to Spain bike pilgrimage

Michael Cura, 16, of Swansea, UK died suddenly as he took part in a student bike marathon from Swansea to Santiago de Compostela, Spain to raise funds for charity. FACEBOOK

SAN FRANCISCO — A 16-year-old Filipino schoolboy from Swansea, United Kingdom died suddenly during a marathon bicycle ride from Britain to Spain with his classmates to raise funds for charity.

Michael Cura collapsed and died nine days into the cycling journey near the end of their trip. School sources say his death on July 14 was not due to an accident and no other pupils were involved.

Cura had left Swansea July 12 after with another 20 students and eight school staff members on the 560-mile bicycle trip from to the Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, according to a Daily Mail report.
The Bishop Vaughan Catholic School students set off on the trip to the religious city in Galicia, which has been a religious route for pilgrims for more 1,000 years. They were supposed to average between 50 to 60 miles a day on bicycles.

Michael’s family lives in Morriston, Swansea. He was an altar boy at the Sacred Heart Church in Swansea. His family flew to Spain upon news of his death. His family flew to Spain to get more information on Cura’s death.