Sidama, Ethiopia: A tragic road accident in Sidama state, Southern Ethiopia, has claimed the lives of at least 71 people according to the official report.
A truck packed with passengers plunged into a river, approximately 300km south of Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa.
According to the Sidama Police Commission, 68 males and three females have been confirmed dead, while five people remain in critical condition and are being treated at Bona General Hospital.
Regional spokesperson Wosenyeleh Simion confirmed the toll, adding that the victims were mostly passengers returning from a wedding. Many families have lost multiple members in the tragedy.
Images shared by the Sidama Regional Health Bureau showed the vehicle partially submerged in water, with people trying to pull it from the river. Other images revealed bodies lying on the ground, some covered with blue tarpaulins.
The truck is believed to have missed a bridge and fell into the river, with the road known for its sharp bends. The Sidama Police reported that the truck was overloaded, which likely contributed to the accident.
Authorities have not yet provided the exact number of passengers on board at the time of the incident.
Road accidents are common in Ethiopia, where roads are often poorly maintained. In 2018, at least 38 people, mostly students, were killed when a bus plunged into a ravine in Northern Ethiopia.
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