At least 71 people were killed when an overloaded truck carrying passengers veered off a road and plunged into a river in Ethiopia’s southern Sidama region, officials confirmed on Monday.
The accident occurred in the Bona district, with reports indicating the truck missed a bridge along a winding road.
According to Wosenyeleh Simion, spokesperson for the Sidama regional government, the victims included 68 men and three women. “Five people are critically injured and are receiving treatment at Bona General Hospital,” he said.
Some of the passengers were returning from a wedding ceremony, and multiple families have lost several members.
Regional traffic police reported that the truck was overloaded, a factor believed to have contributed to the tragic incident. The state-run Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) also stated that many of the passengers were en route to a wedding when the crash occurred on Sunday.
Initial reports from the regional communication bureau had placed the death toll at 60, but updated figures confirmed the higher number of casualties.
Recurring Tragedy on Ethiopian Roads
Deadly road accidents are a common occurrence in Ethiopia, often attributed to poor driving standards, overloaded vehicles, and poorly maintained roads.
In 2018, a similar tragedy claimed the lives of at least 38 people, mostly students, when a bus plunged into a ravine in Ethiopia’s mountainous north.
Authorities have urged caution on the country’s treacherous roads, particularly during the festive season, as efforts to improve road safety continue to lag behind.
