71 People Killed in Road Accident in Ethiopia

Authorities in the Sidama region of southern Ethiopia have reported that at least 60 people died when a truck carrying passengers fell into a river.

Wosenele Simion, a spokesperson for the Sidama regional government, said on Monday that at least 71 people had died, including 68 men and three women.

He told Reuters that “five people are in critical condition and receiving treatment at Buna General Hospital.”

Wosenele explained that the truck fell into a river, adding that the road is filled with many curves.

He also mentioned that some of the passengers were returning from a wedding, and several families lost many members. Local traffic police indicated that the truck was overloaded, which likely contributed to the accident.

The regional communications office stated in a late-night release on Sunday that the incident occurred in the Buna area, according to Reuters.

It added, without further details: “The survivors are now receiving treatment at Buna General Hospital.”

Ethiopian state-run media reported that the passengers were on their way to a wedding when the accident occurred.

In 2018, at least 38 people, mostly students, were killed when a bus fell into a ravine in northern mountainous Ethiopia.