At least 10 people have died and 70 others were hospitalised after a tragic boating accident in southwestern China. The incident occurred on Sunday, as strong winds caused four tourist boats to capsize in a river in Qianxi city, located in Guizhou province.
According to state media, a total of 84 people were thrown into the water. Authorities initially reported nine deaths, but the number rose to 10 on Monday after one more body was recovered.
The boats overturned during the final days of China’s May Day holiday — one of the country’s busiest travel periods. The sudden and severe weather conditions took tourists by surprise, turning a festive outing into a deadly disaster.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for “all-out efforts” in ongoing search and rescue operations. He also noted a concerning trend of similar accidents in recent months and emphasized the urgent need to improve safety protocols, especially during high-traffic tourism seasons.
This is not the first such incident this year. In March, 11 people were killed in Hunan province when a passenger boat collided with an industrial ship. Over the same holiday weekend, a sightseeing helicopter crashed in Suzhou, killing one person and injuring four others.
In response to the growing number of transport-related accidents, Chinese authorities have pledged to tighten public safety measures, particularly for tourist operations and seasonal travel.
