A tragic accident occurred in southern Ethiopia when a truck carrying a wedding party veered off the road and plunged into a river, resulting in the deaths of at least 71 people.
At least 71 people headed to a wedding party died in a road accident in southern Ethiopia. The death toll from a road accident in Sidama state rose to at least 71 after a vehicle carrying a wedding party veered into a river. The truck careered into the water at around 5:30 pm local time on Sunday some 300 kilometres south of capital Addis Ababa. The Sidama Police Commission Traffic Prevention and Control Directorate put the death toll at 68 men and three women.
The accident was especially horrific as the river had a lot of big stones so most passengers, including the driver, were killed due to the impact, said Wossenyeleh Simon, an official with the regional communications department. He said that the driver had lost control of the freight truck - which was carrying 76 people, including those heading to the wedding and day-labourers - when trying to turn a tight bend ahead of a bridge. It was possible the truck was carrying people beyond its capacity as there were a scarce number of passenger vehicles operating during that day, he added. Blurred images shared by the health bureau showed a mass of people surrounding the vehicle, partially submerged in water, with many ropes attempting to help pull it from the waters. Other images shared by the bureau appeared to show bodies, some covered in blue tarpaulin, lying on the ground. Wossenyeleh Simon said that staff from a nearby hospital were quickly on the scene on Sunday, helping retrieve the bodies of the deceased and also conducting search and rescue operations for survivors. Of the five individuals who survived, two sustained serious injuries and were currently receiving care at Hawassa Referral Hospital. He added that three had already been discharged, although they were suffering from mental stress and psychological (shock). Road accidents are common in Ethiopia, Africa's second most populous nation, where roads are often poorly maintained
ETHIOPIA ROAD ACCIDENT WEDDING PARTY FATALITIES RIVER
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