Number of deaths from plane crashes rose sharply in 2018, figures show
There was a sharp spike in the number of plane crashes in 2018 compared to 2017, according to new data from the aviation trade body.
Figures from the International Air Transport Association (Iata) showed there were 62 air accidents last year, up from 46 in 2017. When looking at fatal accidents, the number jumped to 11, from 6 in 2017.
In total, 523 people died in plane crashes in 2018, a sharp rise from 19 in 2017.
However, on average, a passenger would need to fly every day for 241 years to be in with a chance of crashing, according to Iata.
The biggest air tragedy of 2018 was the 29 October Lion Air crash, when 189 passengers and crew died when a Boeing 737 Max jet went down shortly after leaving Indonesian capital Jakarta.
Crashes in Russia, Cuba, Iran and Nepal also contributed to the 2018 accident rate.
According to Iata data, the “all accident rate” was 1.35, the equivalent of one accident for every 740,000 flights, a decline compared to 2017’s record performance of 1.11. But in the long term, it was an improvement on the rate of 1.79 over the past five years.
The 2018 rate for major jet accidents was 0.19, or the equivalent of one major accident for every 5.4 million flights. This was a decline on 2017's rate of 0.12, but an improvement over the past five years.
Despite the rise in air accidents last year, Iata said that air travel was getting safer in the long term, countering that 2017 was an “extraordinary year” for air safety.
“Last year some 4.3 billion passengers flew safely on 46.1 million flights. 2018 was not the extraordinary year that 2017 was. However, flying is safe, and the data tell us that it is getting safer,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s director general and CEO.
“Flying continues to be the safest form of long distance travel the world has ever known. Based on the data, on average, a passenger could take a flight every day for 241 years before experiencing an accident with one fatality on board.
“We remain committed to the goal of having every flight takeoff and land safely,” said de Juniac.
