(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-09-07 13:56

Police in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region are searching for six Russian tourists and their two local guides who were reported missing after they embarked on a canoeing trip in the upper reaches of the Yurungkax River.

A statement from the Hotan Prefectural Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) said the six Russians set out along the river that flows through Hotan several days ago and soon lost contact with their local Russian-language interpreter.

The interpreter then reported the case to the local police.

A joint team made up of members of the local police, tourism authorities and water resources department are searching for the missing. But the local CPC committee did not provide any details relating to the identities of the tourists or the guides.