Sudan officials say at least 22 primary school children have drowned on Wednesday. They drowned after the boat they were traveling in sank.
The boat was carrying more than 40 people while crossing the Nile in northern Sudan, state news agency SUNA reports.
The boat was crossing the river to a school in Kabna, a small village in northern Sudan.
SUNA reports that “the accident was caused by engine failure halfway across because of a strong current”.
Bodies of the victims are yet to be recovered as search for them continues. The country’s Civil defence forces have launched a search in the waters for the bodies of the missing children.
AFP quoted a witness as saying that “All the families (in the area) are in mourning”.
The headmaster of the Kenba High School, Ab el-Khayr Adam Yunis told the BBC that “The boat’s engine broke down after it hit a tree trunk, the children panicked and leaned to one side and it capsized.”
“Those who died were mostly girls. One family lost five daughters, and another three families lost two children each, and two families lost three children each,” Yunis added.
The pupils are reported to have previously traveled to school on foot. Officials said over the last week they resorted to a boat to cross a distance of about 2.5km because of flooding after heavy rain.
Source: Africafeeds.com
