Russian swimmer missing after taking part in Bosphorus race

A Russian athlete, Nikolai Svechnikov, went missing during the annual 6.5-kilometer Bosphorus cross-continental swimming race in Istanbul, the Turkish Olympic Committee reported.

The incident occurred on Sunday as more than 2,800 swimmers from 81 countries competed in one of the world’s leading open-water races. Competitors faced strong currents and choppy waves while crossing the strait, which links the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara and was closed to maritime traffic for the event.

Turkish coast guard and maritime police vessels searched for Svechnikov on Monday. According to officials, 100 emergency and monitoring vessels oversaw the race, and the missing swimmer was identified after comparing participant lists with race finishers.