Russian swimmer, 30, discovered useless with out head or limbs after going lacking throughout race
Some swimmers have claimed that there were not enough safety measures in place to protect participants at the 3,000-strong event in Turkey
One of the last known images of Russian swimmer Nikolai Andreevich (Image: Photo by AA/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The body of a 30-year-old Russian swimmer has been found without a head or limbs after going missing in Turkey last summer. Nikolai Svechnikov disappeared during a very popular race in Istanbul.
His body was recovered and identified on Tuesday, with Russian consular authorities confirming the news on Thursday. He went missing during a 6.5km swim across the Bosphorus in a race involving 3,000 participants. His body was discovered near the Bebek pier in Besiktas, confirmed the Russian Consulate General via Telegram.
The swimmer’s mother said Turkish authorities were “80 per cent certain” it was her son’s body on Wednesday, before DNA tests confirmed it was indeed Svechnikov. The Russian consul has now said it hopes “the competent authorities of the Republic of Turkey will establish the circumstances and causes of this tragedy.”
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A statement from the Istanbul public prosecutor’s office confirmed that the head, arms and feet of Svechnikov were missing, with the forensic police and a specialised murder unit aware of the case. The body has been taken to the Istanbul Forensic Medicine Institute (Adli Tip Kurumu, ATK) for examination, where a post-mortem took place.
Svechnikov’s mother and father plan to take their son’s body back to Russia once the procedures are complete. Alperen Cakmak, a lawyer representing Svechnikov’s family, told RIA Novosti that he expects the authorities to proceed quickly with the investigation.
“We’ll do everything to identify all those involved and guilty of negligence in organising this event,” Cakmak said. “There’s a separate legal process regarding compensation, which we’ll continue to demand from the organisers.”
Athletes from 81 countries took part in the demanding event, which tasks participants with crossing the strait between Asia and Europe. For those unfamiliar, the Bosphorus is a 32-kilometre strait that connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara, with very strong currents.
Swimming across one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, the event completely closes traffic with swimmers entering on the Asian side at Kanlica before racing to Kurucesme on the European side.
The official race website says there is a two-hour time limit to cross the strait, with the Turkish coast guard picking up those who do not reach the finish line within that time.
According to the Moscow Times, some swimmers have criticised the event for allegedly having insufficient monitoring and not enough rescue boats.
