At Least 22 Ethiopians Killed in Road Accident as Migrant Truck Overturns.
A devastating road accident in Ethiopia's Afar region has claimed the lives of at least 22 people and left dozens more injured when a truck carrying migrants and asylum seekers flipped over, according to local authorities.
The tragic incident occurred on Tuesday in Semera, a town hundreds of kilometers west of neighboring Djibouti. The Afar communications bureau reported that many of those on board were misled by illegal brokers who failed to inform them of the dangers of their route.
Rescue efforts have been underway, with regional officials providing medical assistance to the injured at Doubtee Referral Hospital. The government has expressed its condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed in the accident.
Ethiopia's Afar region serves as a critical departure point for migrants seeking to travel along the Eastern Route – a perilous journey that takes them across the Red Sea to find work in Gulf nations, often under hazardous conditions. According to reports from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), thousands of African asylum seekers and migrants have lost their lives on this route in recent years.
Between January and September 2025, there were over 890 deaths and disappearances reported along the Eastern Route, according to IOM data. This year's figures show a staggering increase, with more people risking their lives to reach safer shores.
The crisis highlights the dire circumstances faced by many Ethiopians who are struggling to escape poverty in search of better opportunities abroad. Despite Ethiopia's growing economy and population, over 40% of its citizens live below the poverty line.
Despite these alarming statistics, the Eastern Route continues to attract migrants, with the IOM describing it as "the busiest and riskiest migration route in the world."
A devastating road accident in Ethiopia's Afar region has claimed the lives of at least 22 people and left dozens more injured when a truck carrying migrants and asylum seekers flipped over, according to local authorities.
The tragic incident occurred on Tuesday in Semera, a town hundreds of kilometers west of neighboring Djibouti. The Afar communications bureau reported that many of those on board were misled by illegal brokers who failed to inform them of the dangers of their route.
Rescue efforts have been underway, with regional officials providing medical assistance to the injured at Doubtee Referral Hospital. The government has expressed its condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed in the accident.
Ethiopia's Afar region serves as a critical departure point for migrants seeking to travel along the Eastern Route – a perilous journey that takes them across the Red Sea to find work in Gulf nations, often under hazardous conditions. According to reports from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), thousands of African asylum seekers and migrants have lost their lives on this route in recent years.
Between January and September 2025, there were over 890 deaths and disappearances reported along the Eastern Route, according to IOM data. This year's figures show a staggering increase, with more people risking their lives to reach safer shores.
The crisis highlights the dire circumstances faced by many Ethiopians who are struggling to escape poverty in search of better opportunities abroad. Despite Ethiopia's growing economy and population, over 40% of its citizens live below the poverty line.
Despite these alarming statistics, the Eastern Route continues to attract migrants, with the IOM describing it as "the busiest and riskiest migration route in the world."
. You gotta feel for all those families who are dealing with this tragedy 
. I know it's not fair to say that, but sometimes you just have to acknowledge the reality of the situation, right? 
I'm not saying it's an excuse, but maybe we need to look at this from a different angle, you know? 
. But let's not just focus on the negative, okay? We should be trying to find ways to help these people, like improving the conditions for migrants or providing more resources for Ethiopians back home 
.
Ugh, this is just heartbreaking. Can't believe those people got misled by scammers and now they're paying the ultimate price 
. We gotta do better, you know? Ethiopia's economy might be growing, but what about the ones who can't even get a chance to work or live a decent life?! 40% below poverty line is insane 
. And that Eastern Route is like a death trap 
. I mean, I get it, people want a better life, but at what cost?! We need to rethink our priorities & find more humane solutions 
. This keeps happening because of systemic issues, not just individual failures 
. We gotta support those who are trying to help migrants & asylum seekers instead of just talking about 'crises' 
.
, I mean we all know poverty is bad but it's not like anyone can blame them for wanting a chance at something more, right? 
especially when you see that many are being misled by brokers, it just feels so unfair 
️
. We need REAL solutions, not just empty words from the gov 
.
it's like, shouldn't we be helpin them find better ways 2 make a livin? 
Ethiopia's economy is growin but ppl r still sufferin 
& those brokers r just makin money off ppl lives 
. And then everyone ends up suffering because of their greed 
. i mean, 22 people dead is already too many, but thousands of others who've lost their lives in the past few years... it's just not acceptable 
. we can't just sit back and watch as people risk everything to escape poverty... what are we going to do about it? 
. They're just covering up the real issue here, which is that they can't provide for their own people 
. I mean, 40% of Ethiopians living in poverty? That's not an accident, that's a design flaw 
. Something's not adding up here...
. can't help but wonder what's driving people to take such risks for a chance at a better life 