Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — At least 66 people have died after a truck plunged into a river in southern Ethiopia, a hospital director said on Monday. The accident took place on Sunday when an old, overcrowded truck, which was being taken by wedding guests, fell off the Gelan Bridge, where, according to villagers, road accidents have taken place in the past.
The medical director of Bono General Hospital in the southern region of Sidama, Lema Lagid, told The Associated Press on Monday that 64 people died on the spot and two more at the hospital.
He said patients requiring more intensive care were transferred to a larger hospital in Haws.
Delays in the rescue efforts in the remote village were responsible for the high number of casualties. The villagers said that they tried to save people from the raging river with sticks.
One villager, Serak Boka, told the AP that minutes before the accident, music was playing from the truck and people in costumes were dancing and waving their hands.
In rural Ethiopia, it is common to hire trucks instead of buses to transport people to social events such as weddings because they are more affordable and carry a lot of people. Most of those on the truck were men because they have to escort the bride from her home to the groom's home.
“Accidents always happen regularly around the river because it is poorly constructed,” said resident Fasil Atara, referring to the road, which lacks police presence and warnings.
Ethiopia has seen similar accidents in the past due to crumbling infrastructure and overcrowded public transport. In August, 38 people died after a bus overturned in the Amhara region.