At least 49 people die of thirst after a truck breaks down in a remote area of the Sahara Desert in northern Niger, according to multiple outlets citing authorities. The incident occurs in a sparsely populated district near Assamaka, where passengers become stranded without water after the vehicle stops. RFI and other reports say authorities confirm the deaths and describe dehydration in the desert as the cause. Euronews reports that officials carry out mass burials at the scene.
Several sources add details about the passengers’ situation before the truck broke down. The Independent, Vanguard and Daily Mail report that many victims were returning from a religious festival, including Eid, and were coming back from Mali. Al Jazeera and France 24 also say two people survive by walking around 50 kilometres to reach a water source, then travelling to Assamaka to alert authorities.
Officials describe the response as difficult for survivors and for those involved in recovery and burial.
