British Cyclist on Global Charity Ride Killed in Morocco Earthquake

David Barden will not complete his around-the-world bike tour. He will finish his race in Morocco. While he was supposed to stay at the La Belle Vue hotel, located at the top of the mountain, in the remote Tizi N’test region on September 8, the British cyclist felt too tired to cycle up the mountain. He then decided to spend the night at the Café Sunset, 8 km from the establishment. The earthquake occurs and the café’s veranda collapses on David.

His daughter Sarah tries to find him. She contacts Hamza Boumazough, owner of the La Belle Vue hotel, to whom her father had said he was going to stay at the café on the night of September 8. Boumazough and other residents go in search of him. They found David’s body in the rubble of the earthquake the next morning. "I am devastated by Hamza’s action, who was a real lifeline for me to find my father," said Sarah, to the Al Jazeera channel.

The earthquake killed 456 people in the Tizi N’test region alone.

David Barden had planned to cycle through 20 countries. The last text on his blog is dated September 7: "So far, on this journey through more than 20 countries, I have enjoyed taking on demanding challenges and moving away from normal routines where the course of the day can be anticipated with little surprise. [...] The chance encounters with people’s vastly different life experiences are always an enriching element of the journey."