(Video) 8 die as vehicle plunges through ice on Russia's Lake Baikal

Eight people drowned when a vehicle carrying Chinese tourists broke through the ice on Russia's Lake Baikal on February 20, with video of the tragedy circulating online.

The incident occurred around 3.30pm local time near Olkhon Island when a minibus, known locally as a "little cannon," drove onto the frozen lake surface. The ice suddenly cracked, causing the vehicle to sink into the water.

Seven Chinese tourists and the local driver died. One Chinese tourist managed to escape, with video footage showing a person gripping a rescue rope as the vehicle slowly submerged.

Local authorities stated the accident happened on an ice route to Olkhon Island that was not open and prohibited to vehicles.

Reports indicate the 44-year-old local driver, a former children's football coach, was operating outside regular travel agencies and had taken the job at a price significantly below market rates.

Weather experts noted that temperatures in the central Siberia region had been rising since February 15, with the lakeside city of Irkutsk recording an average daily temperature of 2.3°C – the highest February reading in over 100 years – making the ice more fragile.

Divers recovered eight bodies from the lake bottom on February 21. Online commentators expressed grief, with one saying: "Tragedy, watching them drown alive."