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Russian swimmer Nikolai Andreevich Svechnikov has been identified through DNA analysis five months after he went missing during the Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swimming Race, his family announced Thursday.
Svechnikov disappeared on Aug. 24, 2025, during the race organized by the Turkish National Olympic Committee in the Bosphorus. His body was discovered Jan. 20 along the Kurucesme shoreline in the Besiktas district.
The remains were transferred to the Forensic Medicine Institute for examination. DNA samples provided by Svechnikov's parents confirmed the body's identity.
Svechnikov's mother, Galina Svechnikova, expressed the family's relief and grief at finding her son's remains.
"We did not believe our son drowned, so when we first heard that his body had been found, we experienced great fear and pain. We believed until the last moment that he was alive," Svechnikova said on Saturday before the family's return to Russia.
"Finally, we know our son is with us. Hope was very little, so it is difficult to express in words what it means to us that we found him," she added.
The family's legal representative, attorney Alperen Cakmak, stated that authorities conducted over 1,000 hours of search operations using sophisticated equipment.
Svechnikova expressed surprise that her son's body was found at the race's finish point rather than the starting point, noting that initial search efforts focused on the wrong areas.
"Witnesses said they saw our son at the beginning of the race, but it turned out he was at the finish point," she said.
"The reason our son was found at the finish point is that he was physically very resilient and was involved in swimming and other sports since childhood. He was physically quite strong," she added.
Svechnikova noted that Svechnikov's wife was hospitalized when she learned of his death, saying, "I spoke with her by phone moments ago and she is doing better now. Nikolai was searched for a very long time and could not be found. His wife is now waiting for him at the airport."
The family is awaiting an autopsy report from the Forensic Medicine Institute and has filed a criminal complaint against race organizers for alleged negligence.
"Why did he drown? Why did such a thing happen? We want to understand why Nikolai lost his life, what happened to him. This is very important for us," Svechnikova said.
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Following Svechnikov's disappearance, his family traveled from Russia to Istanbul and announced a ₺500,000 ($11,538.15) reward for information leading to his recovery. Months of search operations yielded no results.
On Jan. 20, citizens near the Kurucesme shoreline spotted the body in the sea. The Istanbul Police Department's Maritime Port Branch and Coast Guard Command were dispatched to the scene.
The body, which had no identification documents, was transported to the Forensic Medicine Institute morgue. Officials noted the remains were found in swimming attire, and a preliminary assessment indicated they belonged to the Russian swimmer.
Svechnikov's father, Andrei, a former professional athlete and swimmer who coached his own children, was present at the family's statement.
The swimmer's body will be transferred to his family following completion of formal procedures at the institute.
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