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Five people died and thirteen others were rescued when a tourist hovercraft capsized on Lake Baikal in southeastern Siberia, Russian emergency officials said. The incident occurred just offshore on Tuesday (May 19) when a Sever-750 airboat carrying 18 passengers, most of them visitors from Moscow, overturned in frigid waters, according to the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations (EMERCOM).
Emergency crews recovered the bodies at the scene and hospitalized one survivor with a leg injury. The passengers were participating in an organized tour, which included a 14-year-old boy among the group.
Preliminary investigations revealed the hovercraft was significantly overloaded, carrying 18 people and heavy equipment despite a designed capacity for only 10 passengers. The captain reportedly steered the vessel onto the ice before jumping into the water, after which the hovercraft capsized.
According to Fox News, local tour guides and operators stated to Russian media that the Sever-750 model is unstable on open water and better suited for rivers or calmer surfaces. "These single-sole models are very unstable and often capsize on water, making it very difficult to escape," said tour guide Natalya, adding that strong winds and waves are common on Lake Baikal.
Authorities, including the Investigative Committee and the Buryat Transport Prosecutor's Office, have opened a formal inquiry into the accident to determine if overcrowding or safety violations contributed to the tragedy.