U.S. citizen detained in Chukotka got lost due to weather - Russian Foreign Ministry
MOSCOW. Aug 3 (Interfax) - According to preliminary information, U.S. citizen John Martin, who has been detained in Chukotka's territory, got lost due to adverse weather, and medical assistance has been provided, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.
"About two weeks ago, he decided to head out to the open sea, spent several days at sea due to adverse weather and lack of navigation means, and thus entered a territory of the Russian Federation," Zakharova said at a briefing on Friday.
The authorities of the Chukotsky municipal district conducted verification measures, and he received medical assistance, she said. "It was established during the examination that he is healthy," she said.
"It was established following the verification of all information that the U.S. citizen was registered in Alaska and lives in Anchorage. He sailed the Yukon River in Alaska in his personal one-man boat and reached the open sea about two weeks ago," she said.
"It is planned to take the U.S. citizen to Anadyr. The government of the Chukotsky Autonomous District has informed the U.S. Consulate General in Vladivostok," Zakharova said.
"That's all the information for now. He is okay and will be even better," she said.
U.S. citizen John Martin, born in 1972, was found near the Nyambi Cape in the Chukotsky municipal district on August 1.