At least 31 killed and 33 injured in Ethiopia bus crash

At least 31 people were killed and 33 others injured when an overcrowded public bus plunged into a ravine in northern Ethiopia on Monday, June 15, 2026. The crash occurred around 6 a.m. local time on the mountainous Harego road between the towns of Dessie and Kombolcha in the Amhara region.

Local police said the bus, which was traveling from Dessie to the capital, Addis Ababa, lost control on a steep downhill slope, veered off the road, and tumbled approximately 100 meters into the ravine. The Kombolcha City Administration confirmed the details, and Commander Getachew Muhiye of the regional police stated the death toll had risen from an initial report of 28 to 31 by Monday evening. The injured, suffering from minor to serious wounds, were transported to hospitals in Dessie and Kombolcha for treatment.

Officials said several fatalities resulted from delayed medical assistance, as the remote crash site lacks ambulance services. Injured passengers had to be carried in private and public vehicles to reach medical facilities.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation. The Harego road is widely known as hazardous, winding through hilly, forested terrain. Road crashes are a...