Irish cyclist confirmed dead after he went missing while riding in Thailand

An Irish cyclist has been confirmed dead after he went missing while on holiday in Thailand.

John Martyn was reported missing by his cycling club after he didn’t check out of his hotel, as news later emerged that he had died after being hit by a vehicle.

Mr Martyn is believed to have been involved in a crash with a vehicle while descending mountainous terrain in the north of the country, according to The Irish Independent.

The 42-year-old, who lived in Beijing, China, had been forced to extend his cycling holiday because of the coronavirus outbreak.

According to reports, Mr Martyn was hit by a car near Chiang Mai on February 9 and wasn’t carrying any identification.

Emergency services responded to the incident and Mr Marytn was taken to hospital, where he died from his injuries.

He had been due to check out of his hotel in Thailand on February 16, and his personal items including his phone were still in his room, but Mr Martyn and his Trek Madone were missing.

The Singha Tsukemen 55 Cycling Club raised the alarm earlier this month after Mr Martyn, from Ballinderreen in County Galway, went missing saying “his cycling buddies from across the world are concerned for him.”

He was described as a well-liked rider, friendly and an avid traveller.

Mr Martyn is believed to have been a counsellor at a school in Beijing.

Earlier this year, Cycling Weekly reported that sad news that racing cyclist and “inspiration” Josephine Gilbert had died after being hit by a car.

The 25-year-old, who raced across the UK and an international level, died after she was hit by a lorry while riding near Derby.

Josephine Gilbert, who raced in the British National Championships and the Women’s Tour de Yorkshire was knocked off her bike on the A52 just outside of Derby on Tuesday, January 21.