Beautician and daughter killed as car plunges through ice on Lake Baikal

Natalia Tomilova, 36, and her daughter Eva died on Sunday after the Toyota Voxy car in which they were travelling sank after crashing through thin ice on the world's deepest lake. 

Driving over frozen Baikal on so-called 'winter roads' - is considered safe in winter if precautions are taken and strict rules adhered to. 

But the driver - so far unnamed - either missed or ignored warning markers at around 5pm and the car sank just 20 metres from the shore. 

He escaped but the mother and daughter, from Irkutsk, were stuck inside the vehicle and drowned in water just 2 metres deep close to Sarma village.

Their doors were locked, it was reported. The ice was only 4 centimetres thick and unable to support the car. 

The driver told police he was returning to a tourist camp on the shore of Baikal, and tried to make a short cut.

He claimed that some 20 metres from the shore he saw signposts and believed these to be showing him the safe route off the ice. 

In fact, the markers were warning of danger. A criminal investigation is underway and the driver could face charges of causing death by negligence. 

Natalia - who worked in a beauty parlour - and her daughter were keen on sports and pictures show her skiing and cycling. Her daughter was also a skier.