At least 15 people were killed when a ferry sank in the Nile River in northern Sudan, according to a statement released Wednesday by the Sudan Doctors Network. The ferry was carrying 27 passengers, including women, children, and elderly people, when it went down between the areas of Taiba al-Khawad and Deim al-Kar near Shendi. Six people were rescued alive, while search operations continue for the missing passengers.

The Sudan Doctors Network attributed the accident to weaknesses in river transport and a lack of basic safety measures. The group also highlighted the absence of local authorities and civil defense teams during the initial response, saying that the delay worsened the scale of the disaster.

The organization urged relevant authorities to take urgent action by deploying specialized rescue teams and providing search and recovery equipment to support ongoing operations.