<p>Addis Ababa: At least 71 people died in Ethiopia when a truck packed with passengers plunged into a river, according to the spokesperson for the southern Sidama regional government and a statement.</p><p>The accident occurred in the Bona district, the regional communication bureau said in a statement issued late on Sunday.</p><p>Wosenyeleh Simion, spokesperson for the Sidama regional government, told Reuters on Monday at least 71 people had died, including 68 males and 3 females.</p><p>"Five are in a critical condition and taking treatment at Bona General Hospital," he said.</p>.South Korea orders air safety probe after the country's worst crash kills 179. <p>In a statement late on Sunday the regional communication bureau had given the death toll as 60.</p><p>Wosenyeleh said the truck had missed a bridge and fell into a river and that the road had many bends.</p><p>Some of the passengers were returning from a wedding ceremony and some families had lost multiple members, he said, adding traffic police in the region had reported the truck was overloaded, which likely caused the accident.</p><p>The state-run Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) also reported that the passengers were travelling to a wedding when the accident occurred on Sunday.</p><p>Deadly traffic accidents are common in Ethiopia, where driving standards are poor and many vehicles badly maintained.</p><p>At least 38 people, mostly students, were killed in 2018 when a bus plunged into a ravine in Ethiopia's mountainous north. </p>
<p>Addis Ababa: At least 71 people died in Ethiopia when a truck packed with passengers plunged into a river, according to the spokesperson for the southern Sidama regional government and a statement.</p><p>The accident occurred in the Bona district, the regional communication bureau said in a statement issued late on Sunday.</p><p>Wosenyeleh Simion, spokesperson for the Sidama regional government, told Reuters on Monday at least 71 people had died, including 68 males and 3 females.</p><p>"Five are in a critical condition and taking treatment at Bona General Hospital," he said.</p>.South Korea orders air safety probe after the country's worst crash kills 179. <p>In a statement late on Sunday the regional communication bureau had given the death toll as 60.</p><p>Wosenyeleh said the truck had missed a bridge and fell into a river and that the road had many bends.</p><p>Some of the passengers were returning from a wedding ceremony and some families had lost multiple members, he said, adding traffic police in the region had reported the truck was overloaded, which likely caused the accident.</p><p>The state-run Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) also reported that the passengers were travelling to a wedding when the accident occurred on Sunday.</p><p>Deadly traffic accidents are common in Ethiopia, where driving standards are poor and many vehicles badly maintained.</p><p>At least 38 people, mostly students, were killed in 2018 when a bus plunged into a ravine in Ethiopia's mountainous north. </p>