A truck plunged into a river in Ethiopia: At least 71 people lost their lives.

In the East African country of Ethiopia, at least 71 people lost their lives when a truck carrying passengers plunged into a river. According to a statement from the Sidama regional government, the accident occurred late yesterday in the Bona area. Wosenyeleh Simion, a spokesperson for the regional government, told the Reuters news agency that at least 71 people died in the accident, with 68 of the deceased being men and three being women.

TRUCK FELL INTO THE RIVER AFTER MISSING THE BRIDGE

Wosenyeleh also provided information about the condition of the injured, stating that five of the injured are in critical condition and are being treated at Bona General Hospital. In a statement made by the regional communication office late last night, the death toll was reported to be 60. Wosenyeleh explained how the accident occurred, noting that the truck missed the bridge and fell into the river, and mentioned that the road where the incident took place is very winding.

SOME WERE RETURNING FROM A WEDDING

According to Wosenyeleh's statement, some of the passengers in the truck were returning from a wedding. It was noted that several families lost multiple members. According to police, the truck was overloaded, which may have contributed to the accident. The state news agency Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) reported that the passengers in the truck were on their way to a wedding when the accident occurred.