49 Dead, 2 Survive After Truck Breaks Down in Niger Desert on Return from Mali Eid Celebration
Nigerien authorities reported that 49 people died after their vehicle failed in a remote Sahara area more than 80 km west of Assamaka. Two survivors walked over 50 km to reach help.
Al JazeeraAt least 49 people died of thirst after their truck broke down in a remote area of northern Niger more than 80 km west of Assamaka, the Agadez governorate said Friday. The victims were part of a group returning from the Malian town of Talhandek to celebrate Eid al-Adha with families in Niger. Talhandek lies about 300 km from the Nigerien border.
The truck had traveled for several days before it stopped, leaving the driver, assistants, and passengers unable to make repairs. The Agadez governorate stated that the travelers became trapped in extreme temperatures with no supply points nearby. Dozens of bodies were found under the immobile truck and in the surrounding area.
Rescuers buried the victims in mass graves. Two people survived by walking more than 50 km to a water source and then to Assamaka, where they alerted authorities. A delegation sent by Agadez Region Governor General Ibra Boulama Issa reached the site after the alert.
Assamaka serves as a main crossing point between Niger and Algeria and lies near the Mali frontier. The desert zone is a known transit route for refugees and migrants traveling from African countries toward Europe. The governorate described the findings as particularly disturbing and noted that survival is extremely difficult in the hostile environment where many migrants have previously died from thirst or starvation.
