71 people killed due to truck sinking in river in southern Ethiopia

SANAA, Dec. 30 (YPA) – Ethiopian authorities announced, on Monday, that at least 71 people were killed in a traffic accident after the truck they were travelling in fell into a river in the south of the country.

The incident occurred in the Galana River, in the eastern Sidama region, south of the capital Addis Ababa, and the victims included 68 men and three women, Matti Mengesha, the local official for the region, told VOA Horn of Africa.

He said that a truck carrying passengers lost control while crossing a bridge and fell into the Galana River, noting that the victims included young people from the same area who were returning from a wedding and a work site.

For his part, Ashenafi Blisso, director of Poona Hospital, confirmed the number of deaths, noting that four people were seriously injured and were receiving treatment in the hospital.