HOHHOT - Three tourists died and two remain missing in a drowning accident that occurred at the Sanshenggong Water Control Project scenic spot in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, local police said.

The bodies of three drowned women were retrieved by 11:00 am Sunday by local firefighters and policemen. Rescuers are continuing to search for the two missing.

The five tourists were preparing to board a boat on the south bank of the Yellow River, located just 100 meters away from one of the water control project's sluice gates, when one of them, a 12-year-old boy, fell into the river around 6 pm Saturday. His mother and three other relatives fell into the river while trying to rescue the boy, according to local authorities.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation.