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

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At least 49 people have died of thirst in a remote part of the Sahara Desert in northern Niger after a lorry carrying them broke down, leaving passengers stranded in extreme conditions.

Authorities said only two people survived after trekking across the desert to Assamaka, a key border crossing between Niger and Algeria, where they raised the alarm.

The group had been travelling from neighbouring Mali after attending a religious festival when the vehicle reportedly broke down more than 80km west of Assamaka.

According to officials in the Agadez region, the travellers became trapped in an extremely harsh environment where high temperatures and the absence of water sources made survival nearly impossible.

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

Rescue authorities said the lorry deviated from its intended route after departing the Malian town of Telhandek. Despite repeated attempts, the driver and passengers were unable to repair the vehicle.

“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.

Officials said dozens of bodies were discovered under and around the immobilised truck, with many victims succumbing to dehydration.

Rescue teams later deployed to the scene recovered the bodies and buried them in mass graves nearby.

In a separate incident during the same operation, rescuers encountered another stranded lorry carrying more than 60 passengers. The vehicle had reportedly broken down after a battery failure and left its occupants stranded for three days.

Security personnel and rescue workers provided water to the exhausted travellers and assisted in repairing the vehicle so they could continue their journey safely.

Authorities said the incidents highlight the extreme dangers faced by migrants and travellers crossing the Sahara, a major transit route for people moving across West Africa despite harsh environmental conditions and security risks.

Officials warned that many young people continue to undertake dangerous cross-border journeys in search of better economic opportunities, often risking their lives in the process.