Divers have recovered the bodies of seven Chinese tourists and a Russian driver after their minibus broke through the ice of on Lake Baikal in Russia, authorities said.

The UAZ minibus was travelling outside an official ice crossing when it struck a crack and an area of thin ice on Friday, causing it to fall through the surface and sink to a depth of about 18 metres.

The vehicle was carrying eight Chinese tourists. The driver and seven tourists were confirmed dead. 

One passenger managed to escape and has since given evidence to investigators, according to Irkutsk Region Governor Igor Kobzev.

Divers used underwater cameras to locate the submerged vehicle.

A criminal investigation has been opened into the incident on suspicion of providing services that did not meet safety requirements and resulted in deaths.

Kobzev offered condolences to the victims’ families and warned people not to travel onto the ice, describing it as prohibited and extremely dangerous.

He said the group had been travelling independently rather than through an authorised tour operator.

Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest freshwater lake with a maximum depth of 1,642 metres, is a popular winter destination where vehicles and excursions sometimes operate on its frozen surface.

Authorities have warned that ice thickness can change rapidly due to wind, currents and temperature variations, and increasingly mild winters are making conditions less predictable.

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