At least 71 people lost their lives in Ethiopia when a truck overcrowded with passengers plunged into a river, according to a statement from the southern Sidama regional government and its spokesperson.
The tragic accident occurred in the Bona district, as confirmed by the regional communication bureau late Sunday.
Wosenyeleh Simion, the spokesperson for the Sidama regional government, stated on Monday that the victims included 68 males and 3 females. “Five others are in critical condition and receiving treatment at Bona General Hospital,” he added.
Initially, the regional communication bureau reported a death toll of 60.
However, Wosenyeleh clarified that the truck had missed a bridge and fallen into a river along a winding and treacherous road. Some of the passengers were returning from a wedding ceremony, with some families losing multiple members in the accident.
Traffic police in the region reported that the truck was overloaded, which likely contributed to the tragedy.
The state-run Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) also reported that the passengers were traveling to a wedding when the accident took place on Sunday.
Overcrowded vehicles and poorly maintained roads and vehicles are common in Ethiopia, making deadly traffic accidents a frequent occurrence.
This recent incident adds to a history of such tragedies in the country.
In 2018, at least 38 people, primarily students, were killed when a bus plunged into a ravine in Ethiopia’s mountainous north.
Reuters/Patience Ameh
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