Madagascar: Truck crash kills 47, including newly-weds

At least 47 people die and 22 suffer injuries in road
 accident outside the town of Anjozorobe near 
Madagascar's capital.

At least 47 people, including 10 children and a newly
-wed couple, have been killed in a traffic accident north
 of Madagascar's capital, Antananarivo, according to
 police.

The incident took place early on Saturday when a truck
carrying wedding guests deviated off the road and 
plunged into a river outside the town of Anjozorobe.

Police spokesperson Herilala Andrianatisaona told AFP
 news agency on Sunday that at least 22 people were 
also injured in the accident.

The police have blamed the driver for carrying too 
many passengers on a truck that is only meant to
 transport goods.

"According to our hypothesis, the truck driver, cognisant
 of the offence he was committing, which was
 transporting too many passengers in a vehicle meant 
for carrying goods, drove fast to escape traffic police 
checks," Andrianatisaona said.

"The driver lost control of his vehicle after having 
negotiated a wrong turn and ended up in the Mananara
 river," he said.

The truck was reportedly transporting guests who 
were celebrating a wedding a day earlier.

The island nation off the south-east coast of Africa
 has a population of about 24 million people.