Probe launched as seven tourists and local driver found dead after bus plunges into frozen Russian lake

The eight victims all died when the vehicle plunged under the ice, but officials say one Chinese tourist managed to escape.

The bus fell into the three-metre-wide ice fissure on Friday, according to local authorities.

Divers used underwater cameras to search for the bodies and pulled them from a depth of 18 metres.

Igor Kobzev, Irkutsk regional Governor, has offered his "deepest condolences to the families and friends of the victims", which included a 14-year-old girl.

He wrote on Telegram: "I would like to remind you once again that going out onto Lake Baikal's ice is not just prohibited right now. It's mortally dangerous.”

"sadly, even this tragedy hasn't taught people a lesson", he wrote.

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He added that six people trapped in their cars had been rescued in two separate incidents on Friday and Saturday.

A criminal investigation into the cause of the fatal crash has now been launched.

Russian driver Nikolay Dorzheev, 44, allegedly used an ice road seen as unsafe to reach Cape Khoboy, a popular tourist spot.

The tourists reportedly booked the excursion through an unregistered guide, according to the Association or Russian Tour Operators.

Baikal, a popular tourist destination, is the deepest lake on the planet with a maximum depth of 1,642 metres.

It is known to freeze over during cold winters and multiple fatal accidents have occurred here over the years.

Meanwhile, Chinese tourism in Russia has risen significantly in recent years as the two nations strike closer ties between, with a mutual visa-free travel regime having been introduced.