At least 71 people lost their lives in a tragic road accident in southern Ethiopia after a truck overloaded with passengers plunged into a river in Sidama state.
Region authorities confirmed late Sunday that the incident occurred approximately 300 kilometres south of Addis Ababa, the nation’s capital.
The Sidama Police Commission Traffic Prevention and Control Directorate stated, “68 males and three females are known to have died in the accident so far,” quoting Chief Inspector Daniel Sankura.
Wosenyeleh Simion, spokesperson for the Sidama regional government, corroborated the death toll and added, “Five are in a critical condition and taking treatment at Bona General Hospital.”
Blurred images circulated by the Sidama Regional Health Bureau depicted rescuers surrounding the partially submerged vehicle and attempting to recover it from the river. Additional images showed bodies, some covered with blue tarpaulin, lying on the ground.
According to Aljazeera, the truck reportedly missed a bridge and plunged into the river at around 5:30pm local time (14:30 GMT). Authorities disclosed that many passengers were returning from a wedding, and some families lost multiple members in the crash.
Wosenyeleh explained that the road in the area features sharp bends and that the truck was overloaded, factors likely contributing to the accident.
The regional communication bureau had initially reported a death toll of 60 on Sunday but later updated the figure to 71 as more details emerged. Survivors are being treated at Bona General Hospital.
Road accidents are frequent in Ethiopia, where poorly maintained infrastructure and overloading are significant concerns. In 2018, a similar tragedy claimed the lives of at least 38 people when a bus veered into a ravine in the country’s mountainous north.
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