Search continues for missing Russian swimmer in Bosphorus race
ISTANBUL
Search operations are continuing in Istanbul after a Russian swimmer went missing during the 37th Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swim race.
The annual event, organized by the Turkish National Olympic Committee, was held on Aug. 23 with more than 2,800 athletes from 81 countries competing along the 6.5-kilometer course from Kanlıca to Kuruçeşme.
While thousands of swimmers completed the race, 29-year-old Russian national and professional swim coach Nikolai Andreevich Svechnikov failed to emerge from the water at the finish point.
Authorities confirmed through security cameras and GPS trackers that Svechnikov had entered the race at the starting line but never exited at the designated endpoint.
Following the discovery, the Istanbul Police Department and the Coast Guard‘s Marmara and Strait Regional Command launched search and rescue operations.
Dozens of boats, including specialized underwater teams, have since been deployed across the Bosphorus, yet no trace of the swimmer has been found.
The Istanbul Governor’s Office said in a statement: “Security units immediately initiated scanning activities around the course and across the Bosphorus, but no personal belongings or evidence have been detected.”
The investigation launched by Beykoz Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office remains ongoing, it said.
Svechnikov has reportedly arrived in Istanbul a day before the competition and checked into a hotel in Beyoğlu. The Turkish Olympic Committee expressed regret, noting that despite extensive safety measures — over 100 vessels and rescue units deployed during the event — the competitor’s disappearance has deeply saddened organizers.
Officials pledged to continue transparent communication as the search continues.
