A tragic accident unfolded on Russia’s Lake Baikal on February 20 after a vehicle broke through the ice and sank, leaving several tourists dead.

Igor Kobzev, governor of the Irkutsk region, said that the incident occurred near Cape Khoboy. Authorities said one tourist managed to escape, while the driver and other passengers were initially unaccounted for as rescue efforts began, The Caspian Post reports via Russian media.

Preliminary reports indicate that eight of the passengers were Chinese nationals. Emergency services were dispatched to the scene, and search operations are ongoing in harsh winter conditions.

Governor Kobzev stressed that the official ice crossing to Olkhon Island has not yet been opened and warned that driving on the frozen surface remains strictly prohibited due to unstable ice thickness.

Russian authorities have launched a criminal investigation into the incident. Prosecutors confirmed that two separate cases have been opened - one related to the provision of unsafe services resulting in multiple deaths, and another concerning possible negligence.

Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest freshwater lake, attracts thousands of winter tourists each year. However, officials repeatedly caution that unauthorized travel across the ice can be extremely dangerous, particularly before certified crossings are declared safe.