US EditionBody of Russian Swimmer Found Months After Vanishing During Cross-Continental Race
DNA testing confirmed the body found near Bebek embankment is missing Russian swimmer Nikolai Svechnikov, intensifying investigations into race safety and organizer negligence.
- Russia's Consulate General in Istanbul reported Tuesday that a body wearing a wetsuit was found near the Bebek embankment and informed them on January 22, 2026.
- Svechnikov was declared missing on Aug. 24 after failing to finish the 6.5-kilometer Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swim, with security footage and a timing chip showing he started but did not finish.
- DNA tests confirmed the body found on January 20 belongs to Svechnikov, with the Istanbul public prosecutor's office reporting it had no head, feet or arms but was identified by tattoos and swimwear, and Svechnikov's mother was told officials were 80% certain based on tattoos.
- Istanbul prosecutors opened a criminal probe, and Alperen Çakmak, Turkish lawyer representing Svechnikov's family, said they will seek compensation and identify those `guilty of negligence` among organizers.
- Some participants criticised the event's monitoring and rescue coverage, raising scrutiny of safety measures during the Bosphorus Strait race with more than 2,800 swimmers from 81 countries and a two-hour time limit for finishers.
19 Articles
19 Articles
Five months after the disappearance of Russian swim trainer Nikolai Svechnikov at the Bosporus competition, his mutilated corpse was discovered at the Bebek Dam. A DNA comparison confirmed the identity of the 29-year-old who never finished the race.
The mystery surrounding Nikolai Sveshnikov, a disappeared Russian swimmer, is tragically thinning up. His body was found in Istanbul, without heads or limbs. The circumstances of his death remain blurred, reviving the...
In the challenging swimming competition by the Bosporus, in which participants fight from Asia to Europe, Nikolai Svechnikov disappeared five months ago. Now his family has certainty.
The body of a swimmer is found in the Turkish strait Bosporus. A DNA sample confirms a sad suspicion.
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