Body of Russian Swimmer Missing for a Year Discovered in the Bosphorus

The forensic examination has confirmed that the body of Russian swimmer Nikolai Svechnikov was found in the Bosphorus Strait yesterday, Turkish NTV reported.

“The examination conducted at the Istanbul Forensic Institute has determined that the body belongs to the Russian swimmer,” the channel reported.

It was previously reported that the tattoos on the man's body matched those of Svechnikov. “Based on the tattoos, we are 80% sure it’s him,” said the swimmer's mother, Galina Svechnikova.

The body was discovered on January 20 by the Turkish Coast Guard. Nikolai Svechnikov went missing on August 24, 2025, during an international swimming event in the Bosphorus and did not reach the finish line. His search efforts, which included divers, had been unsuccessful.