Three people died and 60 others were hospitalised after two boats carrying tourists capsized in southwestern China on Sunday, according to state media.

Around 70 people fell into the water when the two passenger boats overturned on a river in Qianxi city, Guizhou province, Xinhua news agency said, citing local authorities.

Rescue workers were searching for 14 people still missing on Sunday evening.

President Xi Jinping urged "all-out efforts" in the search and rescue operations and treatment of those injured, Xinhua said.

Stressing that several incidents have occurred recently in various regions, which resulted in fatalities and injuries, Xi urged local authorities and relevant departments to learn from these lessons, resolutely overcoming complacency and further reinforcing responsibilities across all related parties.

Xi underscored the importance of strengthening safety measures at tourist attractions, large public venues, residential communities, and holiday returning transportation to curb the trend of frequent severe safety incidents.

Premier Li Qiang also urged full-scale rescue and treatment efforts, noting that local authorities should conduct comprehensive inspections at the end of the May Day holiday to eliminate potential risks in key locations and sectors, so as to prevent and curb the occurrence of major incidents.

Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing led a team to the site to guide the rescue and relief work. (Xinhua, AFP)

Last updated: 2025-05-05 HKT 00:19