Lake Baikal hovercraft designed for 10 people reportedly carried 18 people before it crashed

A tourist excursion on the frozen shores of Siberia’s Lake Baikal ended in tragedy Tuesday when a hovercraft carrying passengers capsized in the frigid water, according to Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry and citing local media Interfax and Komsomolskaya Pravda, killing five people and triggering a massive rescue effort.

Emergency officials said the vessel – a Sever-750 airboat designed to travel on both ice and water – capsized just off the coast with 18 people on board.

Rescue teams managed to pull out 13 survivors, including a child, from the lake, while five others were declared dead at the scene.

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“According to the latest information, there were 18 people on board the hovercraft. Thirteen people were rescued, including a child. Unfortunately, five people died,” EMERCOM said in a statement to Interfax.

According to Russian media outlets, the group was travelling as part of a guided tour near Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest freshwater lake and one of Siberia’s most popular tourist destinations.

The outlets saidthat most of the passengers weree tourists from Moscow.

Authorities have not yet determined what caused the incident, but initial reports suggest the hovercraft may have become unstable after hitting thin ice near the shoreline.

Local outlets reported that investigators are also looking into whether overcrowding played a role.

Russian media indicated that the hovercraft was not designed to carry more than 10 passengers but was carrying 18 people along with heavy equipment at the time of the incident.

Authorities have not yet determined what caused the crash on the lake, but initial reports indicate that the hovercraft may have become unstable. (iStock)

Komsomolskaya Pravda reported that the captain drove the hovercraft onto the ice and jumped into the water shortly before it capsized.

Local media outlets said one survivor suffered a leg injury and was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

The report indicated that the hovercraft tragedy highlights the rapidly changing weather conditions, dangerous waves and strong winds associated with Lake Baikal.

A local tour operator told Russian outlet Komsomolskaya Pravda that the model involved in the accident was simply not suitable for the difficult conditions of the lake.

A local tour operator told a Russian outlet that the model involved in the accident was not suitable for the difficult conditions of the lake. (iStock)

“These boats are known to be unstable in open water,” the operator reportedly said. He said the vessel is usually used on rivers and calm surfaces.

According to National Geographic, Lake Baikal, often described as an inland sea due to its immense size, is notorious for sudden storms and icy conditions even during the tourist season.

Multiple reports say investigators from Russia’s Transport Prosecutor’s Office and the country’s Investigative Committee have opened an investigation into the crash as authorities work to determine whether safety violations contributed to the fatal crash.

Investigators have launched an investigation into the crash as officials work to determine whether safety violations contributed to the fatal crash. (iStock)

According to Russian media outlets, the Investigative Committee and the Buryat Transport Prosecutor’s Office (BTPO) are investigating the hovercraft crash.

Lake Baikal, located in southeastern Siberia, is considered one of the most extraordinary natural sites in the world. Recognised as the oldest, deepest and largest freshwater lake by volume, it contains approximately 20% of the planet’s unfrozen fresh water.