Dozens die of thirst in Sahara desert after truck breakdown

The Nigerian nationals returning home got stranded after the truck broke down near Mali-Algeria border

A view from the Takarkori rock shelter in southwestern Libya, where two approximately 7,000-year-old Pastoral Neolithic female individuals were buried, is seen in this handout photo released on Apr 2, 2025. Archaeological Mission in the Sahara, Sapienza University of Rome/Handout via REUTERS

Nearly 50 people died of thirst after a truck carrying them from Mali to Niger broke down in the Sahara desert, local authorities said.

● The Nigerien nationals were returning home to their families when the truck carrying them got lost and later broke down in a remote area near the borders of Mali and Algeria, according to a statement published on Thursday by the governor of Niger's Agadez region.

● "Stranded without water and unable to repair the vehicle... the travellers found themselves trapped in the middle of a hostile environment where extreme temperatures and the lack of supply points make survival extremely difficult," the statement said.

● Two men walked dozens of kilometres to reach the nearest town and alert authorities about the incident.

● The bodies of 49 people were found under the stranded truck and in the surrounding area by responders who buried victims in mass graves dug on site.

● The responders also provided assistance to another truck stranded for three days with more than 60 people on board after their car battery failed.

● Young Nigeriens travel to Mali for work at artisanal mining sites despite risks from militant groups.