Five Sudanese footballers who play for Al-Malaha have reportedly drowned after their boat sank on the Nile River while on their way to a match end February.

Their boat capsized as the team was travelling from the city of Shendi, in the Northern River Nile state, to El-Metamm for  the third division football league competitions to face rivals Al-Jarif where the unfortunate incident occurred, claiming the lives of five players as reported by SUNA news agency.

“Five Bashandi soccer team members were killed when a boat sank.” Suna wrote on it’s official website.

The deceased players include Waqi’ Allah Abdul Qayyum, Al-Mahdi Hassan Al-Awni, Amer Muhammad Saeed, Ammar Muhammad Saeed and Muhammad Fadl Al-Sayyid Abu Arada.

Sudan have lost about 120 persons between 2018 and 2019 due to unprecedented levels of high currents. In 2018, it was reported 20 school children both boys and girls died in the said river. And 100 people died in 2019 and several displacements have been recorded.

Further to this sad evenet, CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe sent a condolences letter to Sudan FA and the families of the five players that lost their lives in this tragic circumstances from Al-Malaha FC.

“We have learnt with sadness and shock about the tragic events that resulted in the unfortunate loss of lives of five players from Al-Malaha FC.  

“We are particularly saddened and heartbroken about the reported manner these young men lost their lives. This happens as we were still watching in admiration the progress in your domestic football as demonstrated by your two clubs participating in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League. “Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and friends and the Sudanese football family at large.  Please, dear President, receive our sincere condolences. ” Wrote the CAF President wrote to Sudan FA President, Kamal Hamid Ibrahim Shaddad and the families.