Chinese Consulate General issues safety warning for Chinese tourists to Lake Baikal

VLADIVOSTOK, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Consulate General in Irkutsk issued a consular safety alert early on Thursday, reminding Chinese citizens traveling to Russia's Lake Baikal in winter to exercise safety awareness while driving on ice.

With winter at its peak, ice conditions on Lake Baikal are complex, and the ice road to Olkhon Island has not yet officially opened. The Consulate General of China in Irkutsk reminds Chinese tourists not to cross the ice in violation of regulations, to exercise caution when travelling on the ice, to verify the qualifications of local tour operators and avoid unlicensed vehicles, and to take precautions against the cold and remain attentive to weather forecasts.

The Consulate General also warned that the ice on Lake Baikal is riddled with cracks and pressure ridges that are difficult to detect with the naked eye, posing serious safety risks. It discourages travel across natural ice or on unopened ice roads and use hovercrafts instead.

A car carrying tourists overturned on the ice of Lake Baikal on Wednesday, resulting in the death of one Chinese tourist and injuries to four others. The Chinese Consulate General in Irkutsk immediately dispatched personnel to the scene to assist in dealing with the aftermath.