At least 49 people have died of thirst in a remote part of the Sahara Desert in northern Niger after their truck broke down, leaving them stranded for days, according to local authorities.
The victims were returning from Mali to celebrate the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha with family in Niger when they ran out of water. A statement on July 19 from the Agadez regional government on Facebook reported that 49 people “died of thirst in a remote area more than 80 km west of Assamaka.” Assamaka is a key crossing point between Niger and Algeria, near the border with Mali.
The government described the incident: “Lack of water and the inability to repair the vehicle despite efforts by the driver, assistant, and passengers — those traveling were trapped in a harsh environment where extreme heat and the absence of supply points made survival extremely difficult.” Rescue workers buried the victims in mass graves.
Two people survived by walking more than 50 km across the desert to find water, then reached Assamaka to alert authorities. A delegation sent by the governor of Agadez region, General Ibra Boulama Issa, reported that the truck had traveled for several days from the town of Talhandek (Mali), about 300 km from the Niger border.
The cause of the breakdown remains unknown, as does how long the passengers had to wait. Efforts by the driver, assistant, and passengers to repair the vehicle failed.
“At the scene, the results were particularly shocking. Dozens of lifeless bodies were found under and around the truck,” the Agadez government stated.
The desert region is a transit point for refugees and migrants seeking to travel from Africa to Europe. Many have died of thirst or hunger on the scorching sands.
