The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released a 2024 Safety Report showing that Africa continued as a continent with the second highest aviation accident rate in 2024 after North America, which recorded 12 accidents in 2024.
In Africa, it rose from 8.36 sectors per 8.36 sector in 2023 to 10.59 in 2024, exceeding the 5-year average of 8.46. Africa (AFI) recorded the highest accident rate, but fatal risk remained at zero for the second year in a row.
The most common type of accident in 2024 was runway excursions, followed by those related to landing gear. 40% of all accidents involving AFI-based operators were on turboprop aircraft. Through the IATA Focus Africa initiative, the Joint Aviation Safety Improvement Program (CASIP) continues to mobilize resources to address key safety challenges.
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In Europe, nine accidents in 2024, total tuition fees rose slightly from 0.95 million sectors in 2023 to 1.02 accidents in 2024. This rate is comparable to the region's five-year average accident rate of 1.02.
In North America, 12 accidents, the all-Western rate improved from 1.53 sectors per 1.53 people in 2023 to 1.20 in 2024, outperforming the region's five-year average of 1.26.
For the Asia-Pacific region, seven accidents in 2024, total tuition fees increased from 0.92 sectors per 0.92 sector in 2023 to 1.04 in 2024, but below the five-year regional average of 1.10.
The Middle East and North Africa had two accidents in 2024, but the total tuition fees improved from 1.12 accidents per 1.12 sector in 2023 to 1.08 in 2024, outperforming the five-year average of 1.09.
The independent state federation did not have an accident in 2024, improving from 1.05 accidents per sector per 1.05 sector in 2023 to zero in 2024, with an improvement of 2.49 in five years for the region.
There is a single accident in North Asia, with total tuition fees rising slightly from zero accidents per million in 2023 to 0.13 in 2024.
Latin America and the Caribbean had five accidents in 2024, but the total tuition fee increased from 0.73 accidents per sector in 2023 to 1.77 accidents in 2024.
Global industry provided strong performance of overall overall performance on safety, including showing five-year average improvements for several key parameters, but has now stepped back from the exceptional performance in 2023.
The total tuition fee for 1.13 flights per million flights (1 accident per 880,000 flights) was better than the average of 1.25 in five years, but worse than the 1.09 recorded in 2023.
In 2024, 7.7 million fatal accidents out of 40.6 million flights occurred. This is higher than the five years of a single fatal accident recorded in 2023 and five years of fatal accident.
Compared to the 72 deaths reported in 2023, there were 244 onboard deaths in 2024, with a five-year average of 144 deadly, twice the 0.03 reported in 2023, but remained low at 0.06, below the five-year average (0.10).
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“Even with the recent famous aviation accidents, it's important to remember that accidents are extremely rare. In 2024 there were 40.6 million flights and seven fatal accidents. What's more, the long-term story of aviation safety is one of the continuous improvements.
“Ten years ago, the five-year average (2011-2015) was one accident per 456,000 flights. Today, the five-year average (2020-2024) is one accident per 810,000 flights. That improvement is because we know that all fatalities are too many.
“We respect all the memories of life lost in an aviation accident with greater determination to fly with our deepest sympathy and even safer. That's why the accumulation of safety data, including the 2024 Safety Report, is our most powerful tool,” said Willy Walsh, director general of IATA.
