In this undated photo, camels wear location sensors eat grass in the vast desert in Tumxuk, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. (PHOTO / CHINA DAILY)

Three people have died, and one is missing after venturing illegally into a national wild camel nature reserve in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

The four individuals drove a vehicle from Dunhuang, Gansu province, on July 22, ultimately disappearing on Wednesday, the police in Ruoqiang county in the Bayingolin Mongol autonomous prefecture said in a statement.

Three of the occupants were found dead, while the fourth person was unaccounted for

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Upon receiving the report from the police in Dunhuang, a rescue team, consisting of law enforcement officers from Ruoqiang, and medical and emergency response personnel, launched a search.

The team located the missing vehicle on Thursday. Three of the occupants were found dead, while the fourth person was unaccounted for.

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The search for the missing individual is continuing.