At least 15 dead as passenger ferry capsizes in Sudan

At least 15 people have died after a passenger ferry sank in the River Nile State in northern Sudan, according to a source from Sudan's civil defence authority.

The source said that the wooden vessel was travelling between the villages of Tayba Al-Khawad and Deim Al-Qarai, carrying more than 27 passengers, including women, elderly people, and children, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Civil defence units rushed to the scene and recovered over 15 bodies, while eight people survived and around four remain missing.

The Sudan Doctors Network, a voluntary medical group, also confirmed the accident, stating that more than 15 bodies had been recovered and six people survived. Local residents and civil defence teams continue to search for those still missing.

The network emphasised the dangers of river transport and the lack of basic safety standards, urging authorities to act quickly by deploying specialised rescue teams and proper search-and-recovery equipment. It called for immediate steps to improve river transport safety to prevent similar tragedies that claim innocent lives.

Accidents involving traditional boats are common in Sudan, where many rely on river crossings due to the limited number of bridges connecting the Nile’s banks, particularly in rural villages. 

Civil defence authorities have repeatedly warned of the risks of travelling in rudimentary wooden boats, especially during flood seasons, highlighting the deadly consequences of drowning incidents in recent years.

By Jeyhun Aghazada