Truck Overturns in Ethiopia’s Afar Region: 22 Dead, 65 Injured as Migrant-Loaded Truck Crashes

At least 22 people were killed and 65 others injured when a cargo truck carrying Ethiopian asylum seekers and migrants overturned on a highway near Semera in the northern Afar region, local authorities said.

The Afar Communications Bureau said the vehicle was overcrowded and that many on board had been misled by illegal brokers who downplayed the risks of the journey. The bureau posted that regional authorities launched life‑saving operations immediately and that the injured are receiving medical care at Doubtee Referral Hospital.

The regional statement said the truck "was crowded with citizens who were misled by illegal brokers and did not understand the travel route’s danger," and added: "The regional government has been doing all necessary life‑saving operations since the accident happened, and is making sure the injured people get full medical attention."

Response And Local Impact

Local emergency teams and health workers carried out rescue operations at the scene and transported the wounded to Doubtee Referral Hospital for treatment. Authorities expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and said investigations into the circumstances and the role of brokers are under way.

Wider Context: The Eastern Route

The crash underlines the acute risks faced by migrants using the so‑called Eastern Route out of the Horn of Africa. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported 890 deaths and disappearances along that route between January and September 2025.

The IOM also said tracked outbound movements along the Eastern Route rose by 24% in the same January–September period, from 283,100 in 2024 to 351,000 in 2025. The agency attributed the increase to resumed data collection in Yemen, faster transit flows and shifts in routes to evade controls in Djibouti and Somalia. The IOM describes the corridor as the "busiest and riskiest migration route in the world."

Root Causes

Ethiopia — Africa’s second‑most populous country with roughly 130 million people — is a major departure point for migrants seeking work in Gulf countries. Despite rapid economic growth, more than 40% of the population lives below the poverty line, according to the World Bank, a factor that continues to drive irregular migration.

This tragedy highlights both the human cost of irregular migration and the need for stronger protections, safer legal pathways for migrants, and action against unscrupulous brokers who put lives at risk.