At Least 33 Dead After Boat Capsizes in Northern Mali

A river accident in northern Mali has claimed at least 33 lives after a passenger boat sank late Friday night in the town of Diré, within the Timbuktu region.

The incident took place at approximately 10:30 p.m. local time in the Medina Coura district, shortly after the vessel departed from the Bourem Sidi Amar market en route to Tonka. The boat, commonly used for transporting people and goods, overturned under circumstances that remain under investigation.

Nearby residents reported hearing desperate calls for help and quickly launched a rescue response. Young volunteers and community members used small wooden boats to reach the scene and pull survivors from the water.

Hamadoun Issa Rumba, head of the Diré Youth Council, said 19 people were rescued during overnight operations, while several bodies were recovered in the initial hours. As searches continued, authorities confirmed that the number of deceased had risen significantly.

Officials say many passengers are still missing, with recovery efforts hindered by the depth at which the boat sank, estimated to be close to 30 meters below the surface.

Local administrative teams, supported by residents, remain engaged in efforts to locate additional victims and recover the submerged vessel. The boat was also transporting commercial goods, including large quantities of rice, leading to considerable economic losses alongside the human toll.