Thursday, January 2, 2025

71 people die in traffic accident in Ethiopia

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At least 71 people lost their lives in a tragic traffic accident in southern Ethiopia after a truck overloaded with passengers fell into a river in Sidama state.

Regional authorities confirmed Sunday night that the incident occurred approximately 300 kilometers south of Addis Ababa, the country's capital.

The Traffic Control and Prevention Directorate of the Sidama Police Commission stated: “So far it is known that 68 men and three women have died in the accident,” quoting Chief Inspector Daniel Sankura.

Wosenyeleh Simion, spokesperson for the Sidama regional government, corroborated the death toll, adding: “Five are in critical condition and are receiving treatment at Bona General Hospital.”

Blurred images released by the Sidama Regional Health Office showed rescuers surrounding the partially submerged vehicle and attempting to recover it from the river. Additional images showed bodies, some covered with blue tarp, lying on the ground.

According to Aljazeera, the truck allegedly missed a bridge and plunged into the river at around 17:30 local time (14:30 GMT). Authorities revealed that many passengers were returning from a wedding and some families lost several members in the accident.

Wosenyeleh explained that the road in the area has sharp curves and that the truck was overloaded, factors that likely contributed to the accident.

The regional communications office had initially reported a death toll of 60 on Sunday, but later updated the figure to 71 as more details emerged. The survivors are being treated at Bona General Hospital.

Traffic accidents are common in Ethiopia, where poorly maintained infrastructure and overloading are major concerns. In 2018, a similar tragedy claimed the lives of at least 38 people when a bus veered into a ravine in the country's mountainous north.

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