Charles Wright, 40, from Buxton, Derbyshire, drove 300 miles with a bullet lodged in his foot after being shot at during a road trip through Ethiopia. The bullet entered his heel while his foot was on the accelerator, and he initially mistook the pain for an aggravation of a football injury sustained earlier that day.
First Attack
Wright was travelling alone in his one-litre Toyota Yaris when two armed men attempted to stop him. He slowed down but accelerated away after spotting one man preparing an AK-47. Two shots were fired, one hitting the road and ricocheting under the vehicle, lodging in his right heel.
Unaware he had been shot, Wright continued driving for roughly 24 hours, covering around 300 miles before seeking help.
Second Attack and Detention
Later, following Google Maps at a junction in Awash, Wright claims two federal police officers emerged from bushes, threw a plastic water container at his car, and opened fire on his tyres. He drove another four kilometres on a destroyed tyre before becoming stranded in the desert.
Other police found him after locals reported a Westerner in the area. Wright says his phone was taken, and he was made to run through the desert despite his injuries, with officers laughing as he struggled. He later found his penknife and cutlery missing from his car.
Surgery and Further Ordeal
Unable to reach Addis Ababa, Wright had the bullet removed at Dawa Haya Hospital in Awash. Staff successfully removed it without infection, but a power cut during the two-hour operation forced them to use mobile phone flashlights for about ten minutes. Wright described the experience as terrifying, fearing infection and losing his foot.
After surgery, he was held at a hotel for about six days with an armed officer outside, without explanation. He was released after pressure from tourism industry contacts. Wright was jailed three times during his 32-day stay in Ethiopia.
Recovery and Advice
Wright, who has driven through 31 African countries, says his experience in Ethiopia was fundamentally different from anywhere else he has visited, though he stressed it was personal and praised Ethiopians who helped him.
He urged travellers to research risks carefully, especially around checkpoints, police encounters, prices, theft, and visa issues. Now recovering, he changes his foot dressing every couple of days and hopes to walk normally in coming weeks. His car survived with at least two bullet holes, and he plans to repair it before continuing his adventures, but not further north through Africa.
