A further two teenage skaters died in hospital Thursday after they were rescued from a frozen lake in southwest China's Yunnan Province a day ago, setting the final death toll from the accident at four, local police said.

The victims were among eight boys, all students aged from 11 to 15, who were skating on a frozen lake in Shouwang Township of Zhaotong City of Yunnnan at about 2:30 PM on Wednesday, when the ice suddenly cracked and all of them fell into the water.

Four managed to escape and called police for help. When the others were rescued, two were found dead and two were sent to hospital immediately, according to Ma Diankun, a police officer of Shouwang Township, who was one of the rescuers.

The officer said the ice on the lake was only about four cm thick and was too dangerous to skate on.

Yunnan was among the provinces hit by heavy snow and icy rains since mid-January and the temperature was much lower for the time of year than normal.

(Xinhua News Agency February 15, 2008)