Nearly 50 people died after a truck broke down in the Sahara Desert, local authorities in Niger announced. The victims, mostly from Mali, were trying to return home when the vehicle they were traveling in broke down in a remote area near the borders with Mali and Algeria.
According to a statement from authorities in the Agadez region, the truck first got lost before breaking down in a particularly remote area of the desert. The passengers found themselves without water or access to repairs, in an environment described as extremely hostile, where high temperatures and the lack of supply points make survival very difficult.
Two survivors managed to walk several dozen kilometers to reach the nearest town and alert the authorities. Their report triggered a rescue operation in this remote and difficult-to-access desert area.
Rescue teams recovered the bodies of 49 people, scattered around the immobilized truck. The victims were buried on site in mass graves, due to the extreme conditions and the urgency of the situation, according to local authorities.
Another truck carrying more than 60 people was also found stranded for three days in the same area due to a battery failure. Emergency services responded to assist the surviving passengers.
This tragedy once again highlights the dangers of migration and trade routes across the Sahara, where many young Nigeriens travel to Mali to work in artisanal mines, despite the risks associated with insecurity and the extreme desert environment.
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