In the West African country of Niger, a passenger truck broke down in the Sahara Desert, leaving dozens of passengers stranded for days. Niger authorities have confirmed that at least 49 people, all locals, died of dehydration, while 2 others survived.
The two survivors made a bold decision to leave the scene in search of water, trekking more than 50 kilometers on foot. Ultimately, they managed to find water and survived.
The government of the Agadez region said on the 5th that the passengers were returning home after participating in a religious celebration in Mali. Unfortunately, their truck broke down over 80 kilometers west of Assamaka, near the Mali-Algeria border.
After the two men found water, they reported the incident to the authorities. Officials later went to the scene and learned that the truck had set off from the Malian town of Talhandak, about 300 kilometers from the Niger border, and had already been traveling for several days.
The exact cause of the breakdown is not yet known, nor how long the passengers waited.
Photos released by authorities show bodies lying in the desert, with scattered pieces of clothing and other personal belongings around them.
According to the authorities, due to a lack of drinking water, even though the driver, assistant, and passengers all made every effort, they still could not repair the vehicle. The 49 victims have been buried at the site.