A Russian swimmer named Nikolai Svechnikov, 30 years old, went missing during Istanbul’s famous Bosphorus swimming race, which takes place every year. According to officials, data from the tracking chip attached to his foot showed that he started the race but never reached the finish line.
The race happened on Sunday morning, where more than 2,800 swimmers from 81 different countries joined. The event covers a 6.5-kilometre (4-mile) course, crossing the Bosphorus Strait, which separates Asia from Europe. During the race, the busy shipping lane was closed so swimmers could safely cross from the Kanlica area on the Asian side to Kurucesme on the European side.
The Turkish Olympic Committee, which organised the race, confirmed that Svechnikov disappeared during the event. The Istanbul governor’s office added that he was a professional swimming coach and did not appear at the finish line. Camera recordings and his chip confirmed that he had entered the water but never came out on the other side.
By late Monday, there was still no sign of him. The Istanbul prosecutors had opened an official investigation into his disappearance, while the Russian consulate in Istanbul said it was in touch with Turkish authorities and had already informed Svechnikov’s family.
According to the race rules, swimmers are given two hours to complete the course. Anyone who fails to finish in that time is picked up by the coast guard. On Sunday, the race officially began at 10:04 a.m. (local time), with the last swimmer entering the water at 10:54 a.m.
After the time limit ended, officials checked the results and at first believed three swimmers were missing, but later confirmed that only Svechnikov had not been accounted for.
The Olympic Committee explained that they immediately shared this information with the coast guard, maritime police, and the governor’s office, and that search and rescue operations began right away. They also stated they are fully cooperating with the authorities to try to understand what happened and to find the missing athlete.
