Ferry Sinks in Sudan’s Nile River; River Nile State Recovers 21 Bodies, Local Official Says 24 Dead
Key Takeaways
- Reported death tolls range from 15 to 24 across sources
- Ferry capsized between Tayba Al‑Khawad and Deim Al‑Qarai, Shendi, River Nile State
- Civil defence teams and residents conducting searches; bodies recovered
Sudan Nile ferry sinking
A wooden passenger ferry sank on the Nile in Sudan’s River Nile State on Feb. 12 while travelling between the villages of Tayba al-Khawad (Tiba Al Khawad/Tayba Al Khawad) and Deim al-Qarai (Deim Al Qarai/Deim Al Quray) in the Shendi area.
“Hajj Sumi, the executive director of Shendi locality in Northern Nile state, Sudan, confirmed the recovery of 16 bodies, most of them women, after a small iron boat sank in the Nile River, while 8 people remain missing, bringing the total toll so far to 24 victims”
Reports describe the vessel as carrying roughly 27–35 people, including women, elderly people and children.
Authorities and rescue groups mobilized teams from River Nile State and Khartoum, and civil defence teams and local residents launched search-and-rescue and recovery operations that are ongoing.
Sources link the sinking to rough river conditions in the area and note the wider vulnerability of basic wooden river transport in rural Sudan.
Casualty count discrepancy
Reports disagree on casualty figures for the incident.
Multiple outlets say 'at least 21' people died and that 21 bodies were recovered.
The Sudan Doctors Network is cited by other sources as reporting 15 dead and six survivors.
Some accounts say the River Nile State government and civil defence teams recovered 21 bodies, while medical groups gave lower initial counts, creating a clear contradiction among sources.
Rescue teams continue searching for missing passengers.
Boat capsizing causes
Eyewitness accounts and local reporting point to hazardous river conditions as a likely factor.
“The number of people killed in a ferry accident in Sudan’s River Nile State has risen to at least 21, according to local authorities”
An eyewitness told Latest News from Azerbaijan the boat 'capsized... reportedly because of high waves.'
Several outlets highlight the routine use of basic wooden vessels in rural communities, especially during flood season and where bridges are scarce, increasing the risk of such accidents.
Responses and recovery efforts
Official and community responses differ in emphasis.
Maktoob Media reports that civil defence teams and local committees were mobilized and additional teams were dispatched from Khartoum.
The Sudan Doctors Network has urged deployment of specialised rescue and recovery equipment and called for urgent improvements to river-transport safety.
The Sudanese Sovereignty Council and River Nile State officials are reported as mourning and coordinating search and recovery in separate accounts.
Death toll reporting discrepancies
Some outlets consistently report 'at least 21' dead and '21 bodies recovered'.
“At least 15 people died after a wooden passenger ferry sank in River Nile State in northern Sudan on Wednesday, a civil defense source told Xinhua”
Other sources record '15' dead and six survivors.
None of the provided sources mention a figure of '24' deaths, so the requested headline that a 'Local Official Says 24 Dead' is not supported by the supplied articles and reporting remains inconsistent and evolving across sources.
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