An Alaska man washes up in Russia after a disastrous rafting trip

Russian officials are providing medical care to John Martin, the U.S. citizen who lost his way while sailing the Yukon River in Alaska two weeks ago. On August 1, Martin turned up in the Chukotsky District, where border guards intercepted him in his one-man raft.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told reporters on August 3 that the U.S. consulate in Vladivostok has been informed about its missing countryman, who hails from Anchorage. “Due to difficult weather conditions and a lack of navigation tools, he spent several days at sea and then ended up in Russian territory,” Zakharova explained.

Initial reports in the Russian media speculated that Martin had been aiming for China and reached Russia by mistake. News outlets also circulated inaccurate claims that the American planned to seek political asylum in Russia.