According to local authorities, among the deceased are seven tourists and a 44-year-old driver. Among the victims is a child born in 2013. The surviving passenger is also a tourist and managed to surface.
Among the deceased was a family from China: a married couple, their 14-year-old son, and a relative. They arrived at Baikal as independent tourists, as reported by the governor of the Irkutsk region, Igor Kobzev.
It is reported that the vehicle fell into a crack about three meters wide, and the depth at this spot is 18 meters.
According to preliminary data, the tourists did not use the services of tour operators and arranged the trip directly with the driver. The surviving passenger is currently at the recreation center, where investigators plan to interrogate him.
The regional governor reminded that the ice crossing to Olkhon is still closed, and venturing onto the ice is strictly prohibited and poses a serious threat to life.
