At least 66 people perished when a truck plunged into a river in southern Ethiopia, a hospital director reported on Monday.
The accident occurred on Sunday when an overloaded, aging truck carrying wedding guests veered off the Gelan Bridge; locals indicated similar incidents have occurred there previously.
Bona General Hospital’s medical director, Lemma Lagide, informed the Associated Press that 64 fatalities occurred at the scene, with two additional deaths at the hospital.
He stated that patients requiring advanced medical care were transferred to a larger hospital in Hawassa.
The significant loss of life was attributed to delays in rescue efforts within the remote village. Villagers described using only sticks in their attempts to rescue people from the swift river.
A villager, Serak Boko, recounted to the AP that moments before the accident, music filled the air as people in suits danced and celebrated.
In rural Ethiopia, it’s customary to hire trucks for social events instead of buses due to their lower cost and greater passenger capacity. The majority of passengers were men, reflecting the cultural expectation of male escorts accompanying the bride from her home to the groom’s.
Resident Fasil Atara commented on the road’s poor condition near the river, noting a lack of safety measures and its history of accidents.
Given Ethiopia’s underdeveloped infrastructure and overcrowded public transport, similar tragedies have occurred. In August, a bus rollover in the Amhara region resulted in 38 deaths.