Most of those on the truck were men because they are culturally required to escort the bride from her home to the groom’s house.
Villagers said they tried to save people from the raging river only with sticks.
Delays in rescue efforts in the remote village were blamed for the high number of casualties.
“The area always has regular accidents around the river as it is poorly constructed,” said resident Fasil Atara, referring to the road lacking bumps and warnings.
He said those patients in need of more sophisticated critical care were transferred to a bigger hospital in Hawassa.
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — At least 66 people have died after a truck plunged into a river in southern Ethiopia, a hospital director said Monday.
