China vows utmost efforts to rescue missing Russian tourists

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-11-03 19:44

BEIJING: A Chinese government official Tuesday said the authorities would spare no efforts to rescue the two Russian tourists missing in an avalanche in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

"We have informed the Russian embassy in Beijing of details of the incident, and we will closely follow the rescue mission and coordinate related departments to deal with the aftermath," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu at a regular press briefing.

Local authorities received a phone call at about 1:30 pm on Saturday from two Russian tourists who survived the avalanche, saying their companions were buried on Wednesday while taking photos on the mountain.

Ma said a rescue team was immediately set up by the local government and headed for the site, but foul weather hindered the rescue operation.

Local authorities said on Monday the missing Russians had "virtually zero" chance of survival after being buried for six days, but rescue efforts would continue.

Rescuers had failed to reach the site, 5,100 meters above sea level on Luotuo Peak (Camel Peak), of Siguniang Mountain, because all paths were covered after a two-day storm, said Lin Li, secretary-general of the Mountaineering Association of Sichuan Province Monday.

The four Russians, three men and a woman, went to the Changpinggou scenic site on October 20.