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

BBC News - WorldCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete February 21, 2026 at 05:43 PM

AI Summary

short article 2 min

Divers recovered the bodies of seven Chinese tourists and a Russian driver after their minibus plunged through ice on Lake Baikal in Siberia on Friday. The accident occurred at a depth of 18 meters after the bus fell into a three-meter-wide ice fissure. One Chinese tourist survived. Irkutsk regional Governor Igor Kobzev expressed condolences and reminded people of the dangers of traveling on the ice, urging them to use official tour operators. He also reported several other ice-related incidents over the weekend. A criminal investigation into the cause of the tragedy is underway. This incident follows a similar death of a Chinese tourist in late January.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Reuters 30% Irkutsk 50% Siberia 60% Igor Kobzev ×470% Chinese ×475% Russia 80% Lake Baikal ×795%

Keywords

lake baikal 100% tourist accident 90% ice fissure 80% chinese tourists 80% diving recovery 70% winter tourism 60% siberia 50% criminal investigation 50% ice safety 50%