Russian Consulate General confirms body found in Bosphorus identified as Svechnikov

The Russian Consulate General in Istanbul confirmed that a male body found in the sea in Istanbul’s Besiktas district has been identified as Nikolai Svechnikov, a Russian swimmer who went missing in August 2025, during the Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swimming Race.

The body was discovered on January 20 along the Kurucesme shoreline and later transferred to the Forensic Medicine Institute for examination.

Following the completion of identification procedures, DNA samples taken from Svechnikov’s parents were matched with the remains, confirming his identity.