Ethiopia: Nearly 70 die after truck plunges into river
By Deborah Castellano Lubov
Dozens of people have died in Southern Ethiopia after a lorry with wedding guests plunged into a river on Sunday, The Associated Press reported.
According to a hospital director on Monday, more than 66 people died when an old and overcrowded truck that was contracted by wedding guests fell off the Gelan Bridge.
Most attribute the high number of casualties to delays in rescue efforts in the remote village.
Vulnerable to incidents
With desolate infrastructure and overcrowded public transportation, Ethiopia has had similar accidents in the past.
In fact, according to local villagers, traffic crashes at the location of the recent incident have happened before and occur somewhat regularly.
In August, in Ethiopia's Amhara region, nearly 40 people died after a bus rolled over.
From celebration to tragedy
According to the agency, a villager had told the agency that moments before the accident, one could hear music coming from the truck where people dressed in suits were dancing and waving.
In rural Ethiopia, it is common for people to hire trucks instead of buses to transport them to social events like weddings because they are more affordable and they can carry many people.
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