The family of Russian swimmer Nikolai Svechnikov will repatriate his body to his homeland after completing legal procedures.
A relative of the family, Alena Karaman, reported this to RIA Novosti.
“We are currently preparing the necessary documents to bring the body back to the country. We will be able to receive the body after completing all legal procedures,” she noted.
The fact that the body of an unknown person was discovered at the bottom of the Bosphorus became known on January 20. According to press reports, the man's body was found 5 km from the starting point of the swim, during which the Russian athlete disappeared.
On January 21, the swimmer's parents in Türkiye conducted a DNA test to identify the body found. Afterwards, the Russian Consulate General confirmed that the body discovered in the Bosphorus Strait belonged to Svechnikov, and expressed hope that the cause of this athlete's death would be clarified.
On August 24, 2025, Russian swimmer, coach and master of sports Nikolai Svechnikov disappeared during a group swim in the Bosphorus Strait. The 29-year-old athlete did not reach the finish line, but the organizers discovered this only eight hours later.
