ST. PETERSBURG, July 26 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov) – Officers of the St. Petersburg police responsible for water-borne traffic arrested swimmer Alexey Seredkin, who attempted to stage a record race lengthwise the 80 kilometers of the Neva river watercourse, the Interior Ministry's press service told RAPSI on Wednesday.

According to the police, when patrolling the waterway of the Neva river, they detected a group of people padding in boats. After checking out, the officers found out that the rowers had no permission to sail in the territory of the St. Petersburg port.

As the traffic police found out, the press-service says, one of the arrested persons was a professional swimmer trying to set a record accompanied by five people in boats.

Investigation into the incident is underway.

An organizer of the Seredkin’s swim told RAPSI, it was planned to conquer the Neva river lengthwise from the Ladoga Lake to the Gulf of Finland. In total, the swimmer could negotiate 77 to 80 kilometers, thus setting a record as he was arrested when already in the territory of the St. Petersburg sea port closed for boats.

Seredkin was released after a short detention, now he plans to cross the English Channel.