49 people die of thirst as truck breaks down in Sahara desert

06 Jun 2026, 07:14 by Abhilasha · KalingaTV

New-Delhi: Atleast 49 people died of thirst as truck broke down in the middle of the Sahara desert in northern Niger, as per the authorities.

The dead were among a group returning from Mali to celebrate the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha with their families in Niger when they ran short of water stranded more than 80km (50 miles) west of Assamaka, a major border crossing point between Niger and Algeria.

“The travelers found themselves trapped in the heart of a hostile environment, where extreme temperatures and the lack of resupply points make survival extremely difficult reads a statement from the governor of Agadez. Only two survived: they crossed the desert to Assamaka, where authorities were alerted.

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

The driver and passengers made repeated attempts to repair the vehicle over several days, but their efforts were in vain.

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

The victims, all nationals of Niger, were buried in mass graves by the rescue team dispatched to the area by local authorities.

49 people die of thirst as truck breaks down in Sahara desert

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