/
RSS Feed
At least 71 people have died in southern Ethiopia after a lorry plunged into a river on Sunday, according to local officials. The vehicle was traveling through Sidama state when it missed a bridge and fell into the water, a local official said.
Wosenyeleh Simion, a representative from the region, confirmed that many of the victims had been attending a wedding party. He also noted that the lorry was heavily overloaded, which likely contributed to the crash. Investigations into the incident are ongoing.
Of the confirmed fatalities, 68 were men and 3 were women, according to the Sidama Police Commission’s Traffic Prevention and Control Directorate.
Disturbing images shared on social media show people attempting to retrieve the damaged vehicle from the river in Bona district, with some images depicting bodies covered in blue tarpaulins on the ground.
Ethiopia sees thousands of road fatalities each year, with excessive speed and a disregard for traffic regulations often cited as the primary causes of accidents.
