Five Sudanese footballers drown after their boat sinks in the Nile

The players were travelling with their team to play a third division match

Vehicles drive on a bridge across the River Nile in Khartoum, Sudan. EPA / STRINGER

Five Sudanese footballers drowned on Monday when their boat sank in the Nile, north of the capital Khartoum, official news agency Suna reported.

It said the players – members of third division team Navigation – were on their way to play a match when their boat sank.

The agency did not clarify how the vessel sank, but said the entire team was on board.

The players were travelling from the city of Shendi in the River Nile state in northern Sudan to the city of Al Matama.

Boat accidents are not uncommon on the Nile, as passenger ferries are often old and not safe.

Incidents are particularly frequent when the river tends to flood in the summer, when water levels rise and currents becomes stronger.