At least 49 people died of thirst in the Sahara after their truck broke down

At least 49 people have died of thirst while traveling in a truck that broke down in the middle of the Sahara Desert a few days ago, authorities in Niger, on whose territory the incident occurred, have announced.

Two passengers survived, walking more than 50 kilometers to a water source, from where they informed the authorities of what had happened.

All of those who died were from Niger, a country in West Africa, who were returning from a religious festival in the country of Mali.

Dozens of bodies were found in the shadow of the truck and its surroundings. They were buried in the desert, where they died.

"Without water and unable to repair the vehicle despite the efforts of the driver, his assistant and passengers, the passengers found themselves trapped in an area where extreme temperatures and a lack of supply points make survival extremely difficult," the authorities said in a statement.