Nearly 50 people die of thirst in Sahara desert after lorry breaks down

BBC:

At least 49 people have died of thirst in a remote part of the Sahara desert in northern Niger after the truck carrying them broke down, authorities said.

The group had been returning from Mali where they had attended a Muslim festival when they ran out of water, stranded more than 80 km (50 miles) west of Assamaka, a major border crossing point between Niger and Algeria.

“The travellers found themselves trapped in the heart of a hostile environment where extreme temperatures and lack of supply points make survival extremely difficult,” said a statement from the Agadez governor.

Only two survived, trekking more than 50km across the desert to Assamaka, where they alerted authorities.

The lorry had departed from the Malian town of Telhandek but veered away from its intended route, the governor’s statement said.

For several days, the driver and passengers made repeated attempts to repair the vehicle, but their efforts ultimately proved unsuccessful.

“Deprived of water and unable to repair the vehicle despite the efforts of the driver, his apprentice and passengers, travellers found themselves trapped in the heart of a hostile environment,” the statement added.

“Dozens of lifeless bodies were found under the immobile truck and in its surroundings,” it said.

The victims were buried in mass graves by the rescue team dispatched to the area by local authorities.