The death toll from a road accident in southern Ethiopia has risen to at least 71 after a vehicle carrying a wedding party plunged into a river, a local official confirmed.
The incident occurred around 5:30 pm local time (1430 GMT) on Sunday, approximately 300 kilometres (180 miles) south of the capital Addis Ababa in Sidama state.
The Sidama Police Commission Traffic Prevention and Control Directorate reported that the victims included 68 men and 3 women.
“The crash was particularly horrific due to large stones in the river, causing most of the passengers, including the driver, to die on impact,” said Wossenyeleh Simon, a regional communications official.
Four of the deceased were from the same family. The truck, carrying 76 people, was en route to a wedding and also had day labourers on board when it lost control while negotiating a tight bend ahead of a bridge.
“There was a possibility the truck was overloaded due to a shortage of passenger vehicles,” Simon added.
Images shared by the health bureau depicted the submerged vehicle surrounded by rescuers attempting to remove it from the water, with several bodies covered in tarpaulins.
Medical staff from a nearby hospital were quick to respond, retrieving the deceased and carrying out search and rescue efforts.
Of the five survivors, two sustained serious injuries and are being treated at Hawassa Referral Hospital. Three others were discharged but remain traumatised.
Accidents are frequent in Ethiopia, where poor road conditions contribute to high fatality rates. Earlier this year, a bus accident in Wolaita killed at least 28 people.