Daijiworld Media Network - Cairo

Cairo, Feb 12: At least 15 people were killed after a passenger ferry capsized on the Nile River in Sudan on Wednesday, according to a medical group monitoring the country’s ongoing conflict.

The vessel, carrying at least 27 passengers including women and children, sank in the Shendi district of the northern Nile River province, the Sudan Doctors Network said in a statement.

Rescue teams and local residents have so far recovered 15 bodies, while search operations are continuing for at least six others believed to be missing. Six passengers survived the incident, the group added.

The Sudan Doctors Network has urged authorities to deploy specialised rescue teams and necessary equipment to speed up search and recovery efforts.

Boat accidents are not uncommon in Sudan, where overcrowding and lax enforcement of safety regulations frequently contribute to fatal mishaps on the country’s waterways.