In a tragic turn of events, two tourist boats capsized on Sunday afternoon in southwest China’s Guizhou Province, leading to the deaths of nine people and leaving one person missing. The incident occurred around 4:40 p.m. at a popular tourist site in Qianxi City. Seventy people have been hospitalized following the accident.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for immediate and all-out rescue efforts to find those who are still missing and to provide medical care for the injured. Emphasizing the urgency, President Xi urged local authorities to properly handle the aftermath, support the victims’ families, and console those affected.
The president highlighted that several similar incidents have occurred recently across various regions, resulting in casualties. He called on officials to learn from these tragedies, overcome complacency, and reinforce safety responsibilities among all parties involved.
President Xi stressed the need to enhance safety measures in tourist attractions, large public venues, residential areas, and transportation during holiday periods. His goal is to prevent frequent and severe safety incidents from happening in the future.
Premier Li Qiang echoed the president’s concerns, urging comprehensive rescue and medical efforts. He called for thorough inspections at the end of the May Day holiday to identify and eliminate potential risks in key areas and sectors.
Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing led a team to the site to oversee the rescue and relief operations.
