Tragedy on the Road: At Least 22 Ethiopian Migrants Killed in Accident

Thu Jan 08 2026 01:46:52 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A devastating lorry accident in Ethiopia's Afar region resulted in the deaths of 22 migrants, while 65 others sustained injuries, prompting officials to warn against the dangers of illegal migration.

At least 22 Ethiopian migrants were killed and 65 injured in a lorry accident in the Afar region, with many in critical condition. The lorry, carrying approximately 85 migrants, overturned while en route to an uncertain destination. Authorities are urging Ethiopian youths to avoid the perils of human trafficking and illegal migration.

In a tragic incident on Tuesday morning, at least 22 migrants lost their lives and 65 others were injured when a lorry they were traveling in overturned in Semera, located in Ethiopia's northern Afar region. The migrants were reportedly on the eastern migration route, which typically leads them through Djibouti, across the Red Sea to Yemen, and then onward to Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern nations.

Afar regional official, Mohammed Ali Biedo, noted that the journey often becomes perilous due to illegal trafficking and misinformation circulated by brokers. The accident occurred when a lorry transporting migrants, misled by illegal brokers and unaware of the dangers of their journey, overturned, stated Biedo.

Currently, around 30 of the injured migrants are in critical condition, highlighting the severe risks associated with such dangerous migratory routes. The Afar regional government has reported that it is actively mobilizing resources for lifesaving operations for the victims while reinforcing a message against the risks of human trafficking.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has referred to the journey from the Horn of Africa to Yemen as one of the most perilous migration routes, despite the fact that over 60,000 migrants made the journey to Yemen in 2024 alone, many aiming for Saudi Arabia.

The regional authorities have committed to further enforcement efforts and community education to prevent similar tragedies in the future, reinforcing the dangers faced by those pursuing the hope of better opportunities abroad.