Six schoolboys, who were touring a lake in Yunnan Province in a deserted boat and floating foam plank, died when they accidentally fell into the lake on Thursday, authorities announced on Saturday (China time).

The police in Tonghai County said it received report that seven children accidentally fell into the Qilu Lake at past 6 pm on Thursday, prompting authorities to launch a rescue operation.

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Only one of the seven schoolchildren was found alive. It also took nearly five hours for rescuers to retrieve the bodies of the six schoolboys.

Initial information said the schoolboys, all students of Dashu Primary School, were having fun touring the lake onboard an abandoned boat. Some of the boys used a floating foam plank to tour the lake.

An investigation was launched to determine what cause the accident, authorities said.

2 Tourists Killed in Lijiang River Raft Accident

What started as an exciting rafting cruise on the Lijiang River in Yangshuo turned tragic when the raft overturned Saturday morning, killing two tourists onboard, authorities in Guangxi Autonomous Region said.

Twenty-seven tourists and one operator were onboard the raft at 6am Saturday (China time) for a relaxing and scenic river cruise on the Lijiang River, a popular tourist destination in Yangshou, when the raft suddenly overturned.

The tourists jumped into the cold water, scrambling to save their lives. Rescuers immediately responded and pulled out the tourists from the river. However, two of the tourists drowned.

The identities of the tourists have not been disclosed and it was not also immediately known if the tourists were locals or foreigners.

The county government has already sent an investigation team to determine what caused the raft to overturn. Authorities also said they will closely look at the accident to ensure that future river cruise will be safe and secure for the tourists.

Lijiang River, or Li River, is one of the top tourist destinations in Guangxi. It spans 83 kilometers from Guilin to Yangzhou and features a scenic and breathtaking view of the Karst mountain.