A tour bus carrying Chinese tourists has plunged through the ice on Russia’s Lake Baikal, killing eight people. Officials say the crash happened on Friday as the bus was crossing the frozen lake. One tourist escaped. Russia’s Emergencies Ministry says the vehicle fell through a narrow ice crevasse and sank in deep water. Rescuers used underwater cameras before starting a diving operation. Prosecutors opened a criminal investigation. The Irkutsk tourism office said the tour operator was unregistered. Lake Baikal is a major attraction, and more Chinese tourists have visited Russia under a visa-free deal.
