KHARTOUM, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- At least 15 people have died after a passenger ferry sank in River Nile State in northern Sudan, a source at Sudan's civil defense authority told Xinhua on Wednesday.
The source said the wooden boat was traveling between the villages of Tayba Al-Khawad and Deim Al-Qarai, carrying more than 27 passengers, including women, elderly people and children.
The source said the boat capsized due to high waves, noting that civil defense units rushed to the scene and recovered more than 15 bodies, and that eight people survived while about four others remain missing.
Meanwhile, the Sudan Doctors Network, a voluntary group, also confirmed the accident in a statement, noting that more than 15 bodies had been recovered and six people survived, while local residents and civil defense forces are continuing to search for the remaining missing passengers.
The group highlighted the vulnerability of river transport and the absence of basic safety standards, urging relevant authorities to act swiftly by deploying specialized rescue teams and search-and-recovery equipment. It also called for immediate measures to strengthen river transport safety and prevent similar tragedies that cost innocent lives.
Sudan frequently experiences accidents involving traditional boats, which are used to cross the Nile due to the limited number of bridges connecting its two banks, especially in villages and rural areas.
Sudan's civil defense authorities have warned of the dangers of traveling in rudimentary wooden boats, particularly during flood seasons, to prevent drowning accidents that have caused significant loss of life in recent years. ■