Turkish coast guard and maritime police vessels searched Monday for a Russian swimmer who went missing during a cross-Bosporus race a day earlier.
Nikolai Svechnikov failed to complete the 6.5-kilometer (4-mile) annual race from Istanbul’s Asian shore to the European side.
More than 2,800 swimmers from 81 countries participated in Sunday morning’s event, considered one of the world’s leading open-water races. Swimmers face strong currents and choppy waves while traversing the Bosporus, the waterway that links the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara and divides Türkiye’s largest city. The strait was closed to maritime traffic for the competition, organized by the Turkish National Olympic Committee (TMOK).
SwimTrek, a company that offers entry to the race, describes conditions as “challenging” on its website, noting that “experience of swimming in all sea conditions is essential.”
The Beykoz Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation into Svechnikov’s disappearance after it was determined that he did not reach the shore. Meanwhile, coast guard and sea police teams continued searching in the area, particularly between Kanlıca and Kuruçeşme.
