March 17, 2025
Borkena
Toronto – Well over 20 pilgrims to Abune Gebremenfes Kidus Zigiti Abo Church in Arba Minch were killed in a tragic car accident this week. Fourteen of them were pronounced dead on the scene, while the remaining reportedly died in the hospital.
The cause of the accident is under investigation.
They were reportedly returning after the religious celebration and heading to their respective hometowns when the bus they were in plunged underneath a bridge in Bedesa Town, Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia.
The accident occurred around 6:30 local time on Saturday, according to Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church sources.
Many others are reportedly wounded, including some in life-threatening conditions. The number of those killed in the accident is expected to rise.
They are admitted to Otona Hospital in Wolayta Sodo and are reportedly receiving medical treatment.
The pilgrims were mostly from Shashemene and Hawassa cities. They had traveled south to Arba Minch for the religious celebration.
The bodies of eleven of the victims were laid to rest in three different churches in Shashemene in accordance with the religious traditions of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
The bodies of the remaining victims were laid to rest on Sunday.
__