At least ten people have died and 70 others were hospitalised after sudden strong winds caused four tourist boats to capsize on a river in Qianxi City, located in China’s southwestern Guizhou province, authorities confirmed on Monday.

The incident, which occurred on Sunday afternoon, threw a total of 84 individuals into the water during a popular river cruise. According to Chinese state media, all but one of the missing passengers have now been rescued, as emergency response teams carried out intensive search-and-rescue operations.

The tragedy unfolded during the final days of China's week-long May Day holiday — a peak period for domestic travel. The boats, carrying mostly tourists, were caught off-guard by the abrupt change in weather conditions.

In response, Chinese President Xi Jinping issued urgent directives, calling for "all-out efforts" to ensure the remaining missing passenger is found and the injured are given full medical attention. He also emphasized the need to learn from this and similar recent accidents by stepping up safety protocols nationwide.

"Relevant departments must enhance public safety measures, especially during major holidays and high travel seasons," Xi said, as quoted by state-run outlets.

Sunday's capsizing is the latest in a string of fatal transportation accidents in China. Just two months ago, 11 people were killed when a passenger boat collided with an industrial vessel in Hunan province. Over the past weekend, another tragedy struck in the eastern city of Suzhou, where a sightseeing helicopter crashed in a newly inaugurated park. The crash left one person dead and four others injured.

Authorities have pledged to conduct thorough investigations into all incidents and to reinforce safety checks across the tourism and transport sectors, particularly during busy travel periods. (ILKHA)