BAMAKO, Jan 13, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A boat capsized near the fabled northern Malian city of Timbuktu, killing several people, the regional governor said Monday.

"About 50 people were believed to be on board with their luggage" when the vessel sank late Thursday, the governor said.

"According to the preliminary reports, the sinking was likely due to non-compliance with navigation rules. Several people lost their lives, others are missing and significant material losses were recorded," a statement said.

Boats are widely used in northern Mali on the Niger river and its tributaries. The Niger crosses Mali for 1,750 kilometres (1,100 miles), linking the south to the arid north.

The landlocked country has faced a deep security crisis since 2012, fuelled notably by violence from jihadists as well as community-based criminal groups.