A Welsh teenager has died in Spain during a 560-mile “cycling pilgrimage” to Santiago de Compostela with his school friends.
Michael Cura, 16, from Swansea, and his party were nearing the end of their charity trip when he collapsed and died.
His school, Bishop Vaughan Catholic school, said it was devastated by the sudden death of the sixth-form student nine days into the journey.
Michael was one of 21 pupils and eight staff members heading for Santiago de Compostela, north-west Spain, which is at the end of a centuries-old pilgrims’ route, the Camino de Santiago. In a letter to parents the school said pupils and staff were averaging 50-60 miles a day.
It is understood that Michael, an altar boy at the Sacred Heart church in Swansea, was not involved in an accident and no other pupils were involved. His family have flown to Spain.
Fr Jason Jones said: “The parish community of the Sacred Heart at Morriston are deeply saddened and shocked by the sudden death of Michael.
“The family and friends of Michael attended a special mass this morning before jetting off from Heathrow. He was a fun-loving, caring and committed altar boy and a helper for the disabled youth. A caring, greatly loved and popular young man who will be very missed. It is a very emotional time for the family and for the whole community.”
School friends were due to return home without finishing the pilgrimage.
A spokeswoman for Swansea council said: “The parents of the student are being supported to travel out to Spain. Following discussions with the pupils, staff and parents, the school has arranged for the remaining pupils and staff to return home tomorrow.”
