Africa-Press – South-Sudan. At least 21 people have died after a passenger boat capsized in River Nile State, northern Sudan, the Sudan Doctors Network has told the BBC.
The boat, carrying nearly 30 passengers including women, children, and the elderly, was travelling between the villages of Tayba al-Khawad and Deim al-Qarai when it sank, the medical group said.
“Rescue teams are continuing with their work since there could be more bodies,” said Dr. Mohamed Faisal Hassan, spokesperson for the network.
Authorities in River Nile State said on Thursday that 21 bodies had been recovered, according to AFP.
Eyewitnesses said the boat capsized due to high waves on Wednesday evening in the Shendi area.
The medical group said six people survived the accident and called on authorities to deploy specialised rescue teams and equipment to speed up search operations.
“This painful humanitarian tragedy once again reveals the fragility of river transport and the absence of basic safety requirements,” the group said. It urged officials to take “immediate measures to ensure river transport safety and prevent the recurrence of such disasters that claim innocent lives.”
Dr. Hassan told the BBC that weak regulation of river transport may have contributed to the tragedy, noting that many boats on the Nile are privately owned and operate without proper safety oversight.
Sudan frequently experiences accidents involving traditional boats, which are commonly used in rural areas to cross the Nile due to a scarcity of bridges.
The country has been engulfed in conflict since April 2023, when fighting broke out between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The war has devastated large parts of the country, particularly Khartoum and regions such as Darfur, displacing millions and crippling basic services.
River Nile State, where the accident occurred, has largely been spared from frontline fighting, though the ongoing instability has strained infrastructure and resources nationwide.
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