Key facts
- At least 49 people died of thirst after a truck broke down in Niger.
- The passengers were returning from Mali when the vehicle broke down in a remote desert area.
- Two survivors walked dozens of kilometers to alert authorities.
- Responders found 49 bodies and buried them in mass graves.
- Responders also assisted another truck stranded with over 60 people.
At least 49 people died of thirst after a truck carrying Nigerien nationals from Mali broke down in the Sahara Desert. The group was returning home when the vehicle got lost and stopped in a remote area near the borders of Mali and Algeria. Stranded without water and unable to repair the vehicle, the travellers faced extreme temperatures and a lack of supplies. Two men managed to walk dozens of kilometers to reach the nearest town and alert authorities. Responders found the bodies of 49 people under and around the truck and buried them in mass graves on site. Responders also provided assistance to another truck that had been stranded for three days with over 60 people on board due to a car battery failure.