2017 ‘the safest year for aviation’ in history: Reports

This article is more than 12 months old

Jan 03, 2018 06:00 am

WASHINGTON: Airlines recorded zero accident deaths in commercial passenger jets last year, according to a Dutch consultancy and an aviation safety group that tracks crashes, making last year the safest on record for commercial air travel.

To70 reported on Monday that there were no commercial passenger jet fatalities last year, calling it "the safest year for aviation ever". It estimated the fatal accident rate for large commercial passenger flights is one death for every 16 million flights.

The Aviation Safety Network also said there were no commercial passenger jet deaths last year, but there were 10 fatal airliner accidents resulting in 44 fatalities onboard and 35 people on the ground, including cargo planes and commercial passenger turbo prop aircraft.

There were 16 accidents and 303 deaths in 2016 among airliners.

The Aviation Safety Network said last year was "the safest year ever, both by the number of fatal accidents as well as in terms of fatalities".

Over the last two decades, aviation deaths around the world have been steadily falling. As recently as 2005, there were 1,015 deaths aboard commercial passenger flights worldwide. - REUTERS