A boat accident in eastern Slovenia has killed eight and left five others missing, police said Friday.
The accident occurred Thursday on the Sava River, some 80 km east of the Slovenian capital Ljubljana.
Police officer Pavel Perc said four victims have been identified as Sevnica mayor Kristijan Janc and three chiefs of Sevnica's boroughs, the Slovenian news agency STA reported.
The accident occurred near the Blanca hydroelectric power plant when four canoes were touring the river as part of an excursion organized by the town of Sevnica, despite instructions not to carry out such excursions.
Two of the boats capsized, and the occupants were thrown into the river and sucked into the channel leading to the hydroelectric turbines.
Goran Rovan, a correspondent for public broadcaster RTV Slovenija, was on one of the other two boats.
He said the group in the third boat managed to pull two people out of the river, but could not do more due to the dangerous currents.
The bodies of six men were found in the river during the night, three near the dam of the Blanca plant and the other three further downstream. Three women were rescued from the river, but two of them later died in hospital.
The search for five missing persons continued Friday.
Firefighters have put up a barrier downstream, and around 60 police were combing the river banks.
A police helicopter also continued to sweep the area, while additional divers have been arriving at the scene.
In the wake of the accident, the parliament has called off a public debate planned for Friday.
Source: Xinhua
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