A truck carrying a wedding party plunged off a bridge in Africa, killing at least 71 people.
The accident occurred on Sunday, December 29, when the truck fell off the Gelan Bridge in Ethiopia’s Sidama state, according to the Associated Press and BBC News.
Villiager Serak Boko told the Associated Press that loud music was playing from the truck shortly before the crash, and that several well-dressed people were dancing and waving.
Police said the truck fell into the river after missing a bridge on a long, winding road, according to The Independent.
According to Wosenyeleh Simion, a spokesperson for the Sidama regional government, the dead include 68 men and three women.
At least four other people are in critical condition and being treated at Bona General Hospital, according to the spokesperson.
According to Simion, local traffic police believe the truck was overloaded with people when it crashed.
The Sidama National Regional State Health Bureau shared images from the crash site on Facebook, showing the mangled vehicle overturned in water, surrounded by dozens of people.
CNN reports that Simion stated that some families had lost multiple members in the tragedy.
The investigation into the fatal crash is ongoing.
Traffic fatalities are among the most common in Ethiopia, according to reports.
