Drownings Shake Chinese Enthusiasm for Travel to Russia
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Seven Chinese tourists and a local driver died on Friday after their vehicle fell through an ice crevasse on Russia’s Lake Baikal, marking the second fatal incident involving Chinese visitors at the popular destination in less than a month.
The tragedy occurred around the northern tip of the Olkhon Island, known as Cape Khoboy, leaving only one survivor from a tour group that included a family of four. Irkutsk Governor Igor Kobzev confirmed that the vehicle fell into a crevasse 3 meters wide and 18 meters deep near Cape Khoboy. Russian authorities have opened a criminal investigation into the provision of services that failed to meet safety requirements.
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- Seven Chinese tourists and a local driver died after their vehicle fell into an ice crevasse at Lake Baikal, with only one survivor; a similar accident in January killed one Chinese tourist.
- The accidents follow a surge in Chinese visitors after Russia’s Dec. 1, 2023, visa-free policy; Russia expects 2 million Chinese tourists in 2025, up from 1.2 million in 2024.
- Unseasonably warm weather and unlicensed operators contributed to unsafe conditions, prompting official investigations and warnings.
- VariFlight
- VariFlight is a data provider mentioned in the article in connection with statistics on flights between China and Russia. According to data from VariFlight, the number of flights between China and Russia in January saw a 13.7% year-on-year increase. This rise is attributed to Russia's visa-free policy attracting more Chinese tourists.
- Qunar
- Qunar, an online travel agent, reported that Russia was a highly popular outbound destination for Chinese tourists during the Lunar New Year holiday. This surge in popularity is attributed to Russia's visa waiver policy, the extended holiday period, and the abundance of winter attractions available to visitors.
- Dec. 1, 2025：
- Russia launched a policy allowing Chinese citizens to enter for tourism and business visa-free for up to 30 days.
- Jan. 28, 2026：
- A vehicle overturned on an unopened ice road on Lake Baikal, killing one Chinese tourist and injuring four others.
- By Jan. 2026：
- The number of flights between China and Russia was up 13.7% year-on-year.
- Feb. 12, 2026：
- The official ice road to Olkhon Island was originally scheduled to open.
- Feb. 17, 2026：
- Opening of the official ice road to Olkhon Island was postponed to this date, then postponed indefinitely after ice fissures were discovered.
- Feb. 19, 2026：
- Temperature in Irkutsk soared to 13.8°C, breaking a local February record.
- Feb. 20, 2026：
- A vehicle carrying seven Chinese tourists and a local driver fell through an ice crevasse on Lake Baikal, killing all except one survivor.
- As of Feb. 20, 2026：
- Russia anticipated welcoming 2 million Chinese tourists in 2026, up from 1.3 million in 2025 and 1.2 million in 2024.
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