(FILE PICTURE) At least 21 people died after the boat capsized and sank (Image: Getty)

At least 21 people have died after a boat carrying dozens of passengers capsized and sank in the river Nile. The passenger ferry carrying 30 people capsized on Wednesday, February 12, in the Tayba-Al-Khawad area of Sudan.

The boat was crossing the river between the villages of Tayba al-Khawad and Deim al-Qarai when tragedy struck. The boat reportedly overturned in a stretch of the river north of Khartoum due to rough waters, prompting civil defence teams to rush to the scene and begin rescue and recovery efforts.

Local residents who witnessed the incident raced to help the rescue efforts.

Only eight passengers survived the tragic accident, while 21 lost their lives and one person remains missing.

In a statement the Sudan Doctors Network said the tragedy highlights “the fragility of river transport”.

The statement read: “This painful humanitarian tragedy once again reveals the fragility of river transport and the absence of basic safety requirements, in addition to the complete absence of local authorities and civil defence rescue teams in the early hours of the incident.

Sudan’s civil defence authorities have repeatedly warned about the dangers of travelling in traditional wooden boats, particularly during the flood season, in an effort to prevent drowning incidents.

Despite these risks, such boats are widely used to transport people across the Nile due to the limited number of bridges linking the river’s two banks, especially in rural and village areas.

Source: https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/2169979/nile-passenger-ferry-sinks-casualties-sudan