71 killed in Ethiopia as truck packed with passengers plunges into a river.

Monday, December 30, 2024 - No fewer than 71 people died in Ethiopia when a truck packed with passengers plunged into a river.

Spokesperson for the southern Sidama regional government, Wosenyeleh Simion, disclosed this in a statement late Sunday, saying the accident occurred in the Bona district.

According to him, at least 71 people had died, including 68 males and 3 females.

“Five are in a critical condition and taking treatment at Bona General Hospital,” he said.

Wosenyeleh said the truck had missed a bridge and fell into a river and that the road had many bends.

He further stated that some of the passengers were returning from a wedding ceremony and some families had lost multiple members,

Wosenyeleh added that traffic police in the region had reported that the truck was overloaded, which likely caused the accident.

The state-run Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation, EBC, also reported that the passengers were travelling to a wedding when the accident occurred on Sunday.

Deadly traffic accidents are said to be common in Ethiopia, where driving standards are poor and many vehicles badly maintained.