05.06.2026 14:31
At least 50 people died of thirst after a truck carrying travelers from Mali broke down in the Sahara Desert. After being stranded in the desert for days, only two of the passengers managed to reach a settlement to call for help. On the way back, rescue teams rescued over 60 people alive who were stranded in another broken-down truck.
A truck carrying a group of passengers departing from the African country of Mali broke down in the Sahara Desert in northern Niger. Stranded approximately 80 kilometers west of Assamaka, a key border crossing point between Niger and Algeria, the passengers waited for days for help.
Authorities reported that only two of the passengers managed to cross the desert and reach Assamaka to call for assistance. Investigations revealed that 50 people had died due to thirst.
THEY TRIED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE FOR DAYS
In a statement from the Agadez Governorate of Niger, it was noted that the stranded passengers struggled to survive in a region where extreme temperatures prevailed and access to water was extremely difficult. It was stated that the passengers tried to repair the broken-down truck for days but were unsuccessful.
When search and rescue teams arrived at the scene, they encountered numerous lifeless bodies around the truck. It was reported that the deceased were buried in a mass grave.
ANOTHER TRUCK FOUND ON THE RETURN JOURNEY
On the return journey, rescue teams discovered another truck that had been stranded in the desert for three days due to a battery malfunction, carrying more than 60 people. Teams, supported by Nigerien soldiers, distributed water to the exhausted passengers, repaired the vehicle, and evacuated them from the area.