49 die of thirst after vehicle breaks down in Sahara

Key facts

• 49 people died of thirst in Niger after their truck broke down in the Sahara Desert.
• The passengers were returning from Mali after Eid celebrations.
• The vehicle broke down in an isolated district with no mobile signal.
• Two survivors trekked over 50km to alert authorities.

At least 49 people have died of thirst after a truck broke down in the Sahara Desert in northern Niger. The passengers were returning from Mali, where they had been participating in Eid celebrations. Their vehicle became stuck in an isolated desert district with no mobile signal, leading to the tragedy. Only two survivors managed to trek more than 50km across the desert to alert the authorities.