Support The Moscow Times!

Alaskan Sails to Russia, Requests Political Asylum

Working Boat/ Mark Faviell/ Flickr

A U.S. citizen has reportedly requested political asylum after mistakenly sailing to Russia instead of China.

The unnamed American was detained in an abandoned Far East Russian village after his boat washed ashore some 130 kilometers from Alaska, local media reported Friday.

“The foreigner said he was fishing on the shores of Alaska and wanted to sail from the U.S. to China. But he landed in Russia,” Interfax quoted an unnamed source as saying.

The Alaskan may be suffering from a mental disorder, the source added.

The unnamed asylum seeker has been brought to the regional capital for questioning, two days after his detention, the Prochukotku.ru news website reported.

The U.S. Consulate in Vladivostok told Interfax that it was cooperating with local authorities on the case.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more