At least 71 people lost their lives in a devastating road accident in Ethiopia when an overloaded truck carrying passengers plunged into a river in the southern Sidama region. The tragic incident occurred on Sunday in the Bona district, according to a statement by Wosenyeleh Simion, spokesperson for the regional government.

The victims included 68 men and three women, with five others critically injured and currently receiving treatment at Bona General Hospital. According to Wosenyeleh, the truck missed a bridge on a winding road and plummeted into the river, leading to catastrophic loss of life.

Reports indicate that some of the passengers were returning from a wedding ceremony, compounding the tragedy as multiple families lost several members in the accident. The region’s traffic police attributed the crash to the truck being dangerously overloaded, a common issue in Ethiopia’s transportation system.

State-run Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) also confirmed that the passengers were en route to a wedding when the fatal accident occurred. The incident has cast a spotlight on Ethiopia’s frequent road accidents, often caused by poor driving standards and poorly maintained vehicles.

This heartbreaking accident serves as yet another grim reminder of the urgent need for improved road safety measures across the country.