At least 50 people have died in the Sahara desert after a lorry transporting them broke down, leaving the passengers stranded without water in extreme heat. The incident occurred on a remote stretch of the Tanezrouft Desert, known as the 'desert of thirst', between the towns of Tamanrasset in Algeria and Gao in Mali. Initial reports suggest the vehicle, a heavy goods lorry, suffered a mechanical failure approximately 200 kilometres into the journey.
The driver is said to have abandoned the vehicle to seek help, but did not return. Over the following days, passengers, believed to be migrants and traders, succumbed to dehydration and heatstroke. Rescue teams arrived too late, finding only bodies and a broken-down lorry.
The Algerian authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, which has sparked renewed debate over the dangers of irregular migration routes across the Sahara. Humanitarian organisations have called for increased patrols and emergency water stations along the route.
