A truck breakdown in the Sahara Desert in northern Niger resulted in the deaths of 49 Nigerien citizens, according to authorities. The incident occurred after the vehicle stranded its passengers for several days.
Incident Details
The victims were returning from a religious festival in Mali when the truck stopped running. The breakdown took place more than 80 kilometers west of the town of Assamaka, near Niger's borders with Mali and Algeria.
Two men survived the incident. They trekked over 50 kilometers to reach a water source and then continued to Assamaka to alert authorities.
A delegation from the Agadez Region governorate located the victims' bodies near the truck. The deceased were buried in mass graves at the scene.
Background
The truck had traveled for several days from the Malian town of Talhandek, located approximately 300 kilometers from the Nigerien border.
The cause of the breakdown and the duration the passengers were stranded remain unknown.
Official Statements
Officials from the Agadez region governorate noted the extreme temperatures and lack of supply points in the area.
The governorate described the situation as "particularly disturbing."