Aerial view of Wau town. (Photo: Courtesy.)

Five family members including two elderly parents and three children have died in what an autopsy report say was suffocation in Wau town of Western Bahr el Ghazal state, a family source said.

George Garang Mayardit, a close relative of the victims, said in an interview with Eye Radio, that he was informed about the shocking news on Sunday morning and went to the scene.

Garang said the deceased are 68-year-old Nyok Ayok, along with his wife Yok Nyok, 62, and their grandchildren, Deng Achuil Adut, 6, Achuil Adut Ayok, 4, and Athok Ayok, 3.

He said they family were tragically found lifeless in a tent and an autopsy carried out indicated they died of suffocation due to lack of ventilation.

“I received an alert in the morning at 6:00 that your family is just dead, I was shocked and I could not figure out what could kill the entire family,” he told Eye Radio in Wau.

“I rushed the scene and we took the victims to the hospital for an autopsy examination. It was found out by the doctor that they died from Suffocation as the result of the lack of ventilation.”

Garang narrated that the family was sleeping a the tent where all the windows including the door were closed and a fire had been lit inside.

“The doctor said there was no outlet and inlet of fresh air. This is why they got suffocated and then they died instantly.”

Suffocation is the inability to breathe, leading to a lack of oxygen in the body, and this can result from various causes that can cause unconsciousness, brain damage, and death if not promptly addressed.