A lorry carrying 85 Ethiopian migrants overturned in Semera, Afar region, on Tuesday morning, killing at least 22 people and injuring 65 others. Authorities described the crash as horrific, occurring along the eastern migration route typically used to reach the Middle East via Djibouti and Yemen.
In Ethiopia's northeastern Afar region, a lorry transporting migrants overturned in the town of Semera on Tuesday morning, resulting in at least 22 deaths and 65 injuries, according to regional authorities. The 85 Ethiopian migrants aboard were following the eastern migration route, which commonly passes through Djibouti, across the Red Sea to Yemen, and onward to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states in pursuit of employment opportunities. Yemen serves as a key transit point for those from the Horn of Africa seeking work in the Middle East.
Senior Afar official Mohammed Ali Biedo stated that 30 of the injured remain in critical condition. 'The accident occurred when a lorry transporting migrants, misled by illegal brokers and unaware of the dangers of their journey, overturned,' Biedo said. The Afar regional government is conducting essential life-saving procedures for the survivors following what it called a 'horrific' incident. It has urged Ethiopians, especially the youth, to be wary of human trafficking risks fueled by deceptive promises.