How 49 Died Of Thirst In Niger Desert After Truck Breaks Down
Niger Republic authorities Thursday announced the death of 49 people over thirst in an isolated Sahara desert district after the truck transporting them broke down.
Niger Republic authorities Thursday announced the death of 49 people over
thirst in an isolated Sahara desert district after the truck transporting them broke down.
The dead persons were among a group returning from Mali for a Muslim festival when they ran short of water, the Agadez governorate said in a post on Facebook.
The dead persons were among a group returning from Mali for a Muslim festival when they ran short of water, the Agadez governorate said in a post on Facebook.
Two people, however, managed to survive after walking for more than 50 kilometres on foot to a nearby water source and then onwards to Assamaka, where the pair were able to alert the authorities, the governorate said.
According to the authorities, the 49 people “died of thirst in a remote area more than 80 kilometres (50 miles) west of Assamaka.” Assamaka is a main crossing point between Niger and Algeria but also close to the Mali frontier.
“Deprived of water and unable to repair the vehicle despite the efforts of the driver, his assistants and the passengers, the travellers found themselves trapped in the heart of a hostile environment where extreme temperatures and the absence of supply points make survival extremely difficult,” the authorities further noted, adding that the victims had been buried in mass graves.
The desert zone is a known transit point for migrants seeking to get from African nations to Europe and many have died from thirst or starvation in the scorching sands.
According to the authorities, the 49 people “died of thirst in a remote area more than 80 kilometres (50 miles) west of Assamaka.” Assamaka is a main crossing point between Niger and Algeria but also close to the Mali frontier.
“Deprived of water and unable to repair the vehicle despite the efforts of the driver, his assistants and the passengers, the travellers found themselves trapped in the heart of a hostile environment where extreme temperatures and the absence of supply points make survival extremely difficult,” the authorities further noted, adding that the victims had been buried in mass graves.
The desert zone is a known transit point for migrants seeking to get from African nations to Europe and many have died from thirst or starvation in the scorching sands.
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