A motorcyclist was thrown to his death after losing control of his bike on an east metro highway Tuesday evening.

Ahmed Fraidon Safwat, 33, of Maplewood, was on his Honda sportbike northbound on Hwy. 52 near Plato Boulevard in St. Paul when the crash occurred, the State Patrol said.

Safwat was taken to Regions Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, the patrol said.

It was not immediately known if he had been wearing a helmet, the patrol said.

No other vehicles were involved in the crash, which happened about 6 p.m., the patrol said.

Tim Harlow