7 People Killed After Tourist Minibus Crashes Through Ice on Frozen Lake (Video)

A winter sightseeing trip turned into a nightmare when a tourist minibus crashed through the ice on Russia’s legendary Lake Baikal, killing seven people in a horrifying accident caught on camera.

The vehicle, carrying eight Chinese tourists, was traveling across the frozen surface of the massive Siberian lake when the ice suddenly gave way. Within seconds, the bus plunged into the freezing water below.

Video from the scene shows chaos unfolding as the lone survivor struggles to climb out of the sinking vehicle. Tourists standing nearby can be heard screaming, “Faster, hurry up!” and “Get out!” as they watch helplessly from a distance. One man is seen sprinting toward the wreck with a rope, desperately trying to stage a rescue.

But it was too late.

WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW:

Among the victims was a 12-year-old girl and both of her parents. Three 28-year-old women were also killed, along with two other passengers ages 31 and 40. Divers later recovered the bodies from roughly 60 feet beneath the frozen surface.

Lake Baikal isn’t just any lake. Located in Siberia near the Mongolian border, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site and the deepest freshwater lake in the world. It holds about 20 percent of the planet’s unfrozen freshwater and plunges more than 5,000 feet at its deepest point. In winter, its thick ice — sometimes reaching four feet — attracts tourists eager to skate, hike, and even drive across its vast frozen expanse.

But officials say that beauty comes with serious risk.

Authorities have accused the driver, 44-year-old Nikolay Dorzheev, of using an unofficial “ice road” that had reportedly been closed due to dangerous cracks. Investigators claim warnings had been issued about unstable ice conditions and undercurrents that can weaken the surface — even during brutal Siberian winters when temperatures can drop to minus 18 degrees Celsius.

The minibus, a UAZ Bukhanka, was reportedly not officially registered. Officials bluntly described the decision to drive across the lake as “dicing with death.”

Investigators have since questioned the sole survivor, along with other witnesses and the driver’s widow. The couple who organized the trip reportedly ran tours focused on exploring local pagan culture in the region.