Geneva – The International Air Transport Association (IATA), says Africa with 10 accidents in 2024, the all-accident rate rose from 8.36 per million sectors in 2023 to 10.59 in 2024, exceeding the five-year average of 8.46.
!08scoop.com reports that this is contained in IATA’s 2024 Annual Safety Report
It noted that Africa (AFI) recorded the highest accident rate, though the fatality risk remained at zero for the second year in a row.
According to the report, the most common accident types in 2024 were runway excursions, followed by those related to landing gear.
It added that 40 per cent of all accidents involving AFI-based operators were on turboprop aircraft, explaining that through the IATA Focus Africa initiative, the Collaborative Aviation Safety Improvement Programme (CASIP) continues to mobilise resources to address key safety challenges.
IATA said the industry delivered another year of strong overall performance on safety including showing improvements on the five-year average for several key parameters, it took a step back from an exceptional performance in 2023.
• The all-accident rate of 1.13 per million flights (one accident per 880,000 flights) was better than the five-year average of 1.25 but worse than the 1.09 recorded in 2023.
• There were seven fatal accidents in 2024, among 40.6 million flights. That is higher than the single fatal accident recorded in 2023 and the five-year average of five fatal accidents.
• There were 244 on-board fatalities in 2024, compared to the 72 fatalities reported in 2023 and the five-year average of 144. Fatality risk remained low at 0.06, below the five-year average (0.10), although double the 0.03 reported in 2023.
“Even with recent high profile aviation accidents, it is important to remember that accidents are extremely rare. There were 40.6 million flights in 2024 and seven fatal accidents. Moreover, the long-term story of aviation safety is one of continuous improvement.
”A decade ago, the five-year average (2011-2015) was one accident for every 456,000 flights. Today, the five-year average (2020-2024) is one accident for every 810,000 flights. That improvement is because we know that every fatality is one too many.
We honour the memory of every life lost in an aviation accident with our deepest sympathies and ever-greater resolve to make flying even safer. And for that, the accumulation of safety data, including the 2024 safety report, is our most powerful tool,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
Key safety insights include:
• Rising Conflict Zone Risks: The downing of two aircraft in conflict zones (Kazakhstan with 38 fatalities and Sudan with five fatalities) has reinforced the importance of the Safer Skies initiative, established in the aftermath of the PS752 tragedy to facilitate safeguards in high-risk airspace.
• Most Common Accidents: Tail strikes and runway excursions were the most frequently reported accidents in 2024, underscoring the importance of take-off and landing safety measures. Notably, there were no controlled-flight-into-terrain (CFIT) accidents.
• Airlines on the registry of the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) (including all IATA member airlines) had an accident rate of 0.92 per million flights, significantly lower than the 1.70 recorded by non-IOSA carriers.
Conflict Zones: The Need for Action
Accidents and incidents related to conflict zones are considered security-related events and are not included in this report. While they do not appear in this data of this safety report, they, along with growing incidents of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) interference, are a top concern for aviation safety requiring urgent global coordination.
“No civil aircraft should ever be a target—deliberate or accidental—of military operations. Governments must step up, enhance intelligence-sharing, and establish clearer global protocols to prevent such tragedies and safeguard civilian aviation,” said Walsh.
