Divers recover bodies of seven Chinese tourists from bottom of Lake Baikal

Russian divers have recovered the bodies of seven Chinese tourists and a Russian driver who died after their mini-bus plunged through the ice to the bottom of Lake Baikal in Siberia on Friday, with authorities citing the vehicle's fall into a three-metre-wide ice fissure as the cause of the tragedy. Irkutsk regional Governor Igor Kobzev offered his 'deepest condolences to the families and friends of the victims' and confirmed that one Chinese tourist had managed to escape the accident that occurred at a depth of 18 meters (59 feet), requiring divers to use underwater cameras to locate the victims. Lake Baikal, the world's deepest lake with a maximum depth of 1,642 meters (5,387 feet), is a popular tourist destination that often freezes during harsh winters, though it has seen numerous deadly accidents over the years. The governor emphasized the extreme danger of venturing onto the lake's ice, noting that 'going out onto Lake Baikal's ice is not just prohibited right now. It's mortally dangerous,' while urging tourists to use only official tour operators. He revealed that all the Chinese tourists, including a 14-year-old child, had traveled independently without proper guides or safety measures. A criminal investigation into the cause of the tragedy is now underway, with Kobzev expressing frustration that 'sadly, even this tragedy hasn't taught people a lesson' after reporting that six people trapped in their cars had been rescued in two separate incidents on Friday and Saturday. The incident follows another recent accident in late January when a Chinese tourist died after a car he was traveling in overturned on the frozen surface of Lake Baikal, highlighting the ongoing risks tourists face when ignoring safety warnings on the treacherous ice.