Moment bus plunges into the world’s deepest lake killing seven tourists
More than half a dozen tourists have been killed after a bus fell into the world’s deepest lake.
Divers have recovered the bodies of seven Chinese citizens and a bus driver after the tourist vehicle plunged after ice broke on a frozen section of Lake Baikal in Siberia.
Igor Kobzev, the governor of Irkutsk region, said that one tourist had managed to escape the wreckage.
The politician wrote on Telegram: ‘Divers recovered the bodies of the victims from the site where a car carrying tourists fell through the ice.
‘We now know for certain that they are the driver and seven Chinese citizens. I once again express my deepest condolences to the families and friends of the victims.’
Mr Kobzev warned that the official ice road remained closed due to concerns over cracks in several sections.
He added that Lake Baikal was ‘unforgiving’ in poor conditions and lessons hadn’t been learnt in spite of several other incidents in the area over the last few days.
‘I’d like to once again appeal to everyone planning a trip to Lake Baikal: Before you, against your better judgment, decide to drive onto the ice, think about it. Is it really worth it? Some have already made the wrong choice. The lesson was fatal’, he said.
A woman and child were rescued by emergency services on Friday after a car became stuck in the lake five kilometres from dry land.
Another vehicle carrying four holidaymakers sank into the lake after driving over cracking ice.
Authorities confirmed that an investigation into the bus incident had been launched, with a criminal case open.
The world’s largest freshwater lake by volume, Lake Baikal is more than 5,000ft deep in parts and covers an area larger than Belgium.
Located in a rift valley near the Mongolian border, the huge body of water is also one of the clearest lakes on the globe.
Its surface routinely freezes over for up to five months a year from January to June, with the ice reaching a thickness of up to two metres.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site is currently under threat from pollution from nearby developments and the flow of toxic substances.
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