By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
ADDIS ABABA (Worthy News) – Authorities say at least 71 people have died in southern Ethiopia after a truck packed with passengers plunged into a river after returning from a wedding event.
Local officials say the accident happened in the Sidama Region, some 300 kilometers (186 miles) south of Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa.
Wosenyeleh Simion, a spokesperson for Sidama’s government, said the truck returned from “a wedding ceremony” and missed the Galena Bridge in the state’s Bona Zuria district.
Soon, the overloaded vehicle plunged into the water, the official added.
He said besides those killed in late Sunday’s tragedy, at least a handful more people are “in a critical condition” in hospital.
Delays in rescue efforts in the remote village were also blamed for the high number of casualties.
Villagers said they tried to save people from the raging river only with sticks, confirming to footage seen by Worthy News.
MUSIC HEARD
A villager, Serak Boko, said that music was blasting out of the truck moments before the accident, and people dressed in suits were dancing and waving.
“The area always has regular accidents around the river as it is poorly constructed,” added resident Fasil Atara when talking to reporters, referring to the road lacking bumps and warnings.
With desolate infrastructure and overcrowded public transportation, Ethiopia has had similar accidents. In August, 38 people reportedly died after a bus rolled over in Amhara region.
The latest tragedy highlighted broader concerns about traffic safety in Ethiopia and other African countries, where authorities say many people cannot afford safe transportation.
They “are often largely ignored in the planning, design, and operation of roads, while road traffic injuries and deaths disproportionately affect lower socioeconomic groups,” added the World Resources Institute, a global research center.
Officials said people often travel on the backs of trucks, a practice that, combined with the road’s sharp curves and steep slopes, contributed to the accident’s severity.
The road’s hazardous nature has made it a frequent site of major accidents, according to investigators.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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