PRETORIA, January 16. /TASS/. Russian national Sergei Zhivotov, one of the sailors detained in Cape Verde in January 2019 on drug smuggling charges, has died in a hospital in Praia due to complications caused by chronic ulcerative colitis, the Russian Embassy in Cape Verde informed on Thursday.

On January 5, the Russian sailor was transferred from prison to a local hospital due to his deteriorating health. He died on January 14. His relatives were immediately informed of his illness and death.

The Russian embassy is holding talks to organize transportation of the deceased national’s body to his home city of Murmansk.

In late January 2019, the ESER ship flying Panama’s flag, which had a Russian crew, was detained at Porto Praia. According to the Russian embassy in Cabo Verde, the country’s law enforcement agencies suspect the sailors of smuggling over nine tonnes of cocaine. All members of the crew are currently in custody.