On the 20th, a car accident occurred on Russia's Lake Baikal where a vehicle plunged under the ice. The vehicle carried one Russian driver and eight Chinese tourists, resulting in eight deaths—including the driver and seven Chinese tourists—while one Chinese tourist escaped and was rescued.
According to Chinese media outlet Yangtze Evening News, cracks have appeared recently on Lake Baikal’s ice surface due to rising temperatures. The ice road to Olkhon Island had not yet been opened, and local authorities had strictly banned vehicles from driving on the frozen lake. However, the vehicle in question still entered the area in violation of the ban. Witnesses stated that the driver, upon noticing the ice cracks, did not stop or detour but instead attempted to accelerate across, directly causing the accident.
Lake Baikal is located in the Irkutsk region of Siberia, Russia. The incident occurred on February 20, and according to reports citing Irkutsk region governor Kobzev, a vehicle carrying Chinese tourists overturned under the ice of Lake Baikal, with one person escaping and another eight presumed dead.
It is reported that, following this incident, local authorities have banned cars from driving on the ice of Lake Baikal. Various media sources indicated that rescue personnel have found seven bodies. Underwater cameras located the vehicle near Cape Khoboy, the accident site’s water depth is about 18 meters, the crack is about 3 meters wide, and underwater recovery operations are underway.
Mr. Chen, staff member from the Chinese Consulate General in Irkutsk, said in a phone interview with reporters: "According to information obtained so far, the rescued compatriot is a male from Jiangsu Province. Currently, his health condition is stable. We cannot disclose other follow-up matters at this time due to personal privacy. "
Public information indicates Olkhon Island is the largest island in Lake Baikal, located near the lake’s deepest point. Many tourists choose to visit the northern route of the accident area to view the blue ice. Before the accident, cracks had already appeared on the ice surface of Lake Baikal.