Faith Nyasuguta
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released its annual safety report, revealing that African airlines recorded the second-highest number of aviation incidents in 2024. With 10 reported accidents, the African aviation sector continues to face significant safety challenges despite ongoing efforts to improve air travel security.
Aviation Safety in Africa
The African aviation industry plays a crucial role in the continent’s economic development, trade, and connectivity. However, it continues to grapple with issues such as inadequate infrastructure, regulatory challenges, financial constraints, and safety concerns.
While the industry has seen improvements over the years, the high accident rate recorded in 2024 highlights the need for enhanced safety measures.
Despite global advancements in aviation safety, Africa’s all-accident rate increased from 8.36 to 10.59 per million flights in 2024, surpassing the five-year average of 8.46. However, IATA noted that fatality risk remained at zero for the second consecutive year, indicating progress in preventing fatal crashes. The most common accidents in Africa involved runway excursions and landing gear issues, with 40% of the incidents involving turboprop aircraft.
To address these safety concerns, IATA’s Focus Africa Initiative is working through the Collaborative Aviation Safety Improvement Program (CASIP) to strengthen safety regulations, improve operational efficiency, and reduce accident rates across the continent.
Global Aviation Performance in 2024
In 2024, the global aviation industry successfully transported over 5 billion passengers on 40 million flights, recording seven fatal accidents. According to IATA, safety in air travel has improved significantly over the years.
A decade ago (2011-2015), there was one accident for every 456,000 flights. Over the past five years (2020-2024), this improved to one accident per 810,000 flights, a milestone IATA considers a major achievement in global aviation safety.
IATA Director General Willie Walsh emphasized the importance of continuous safety improvements, stating:
“We honor the memory of every life lost in an aviation accident with our deepest sympathies and ever greater resolve to make flying even safer. The accumulation of safety data, including the 2024 safety report, is our most powerful tool.”
Major Aviation Accidents in 2024
The IATA report highlighted several major aviation incidents worldwide in 2024:
January: An Airbus A350-900 collided with a Japan Coast Guard aircraft on a runway. While all A350-900 passengers escaped, five people on the Coast Guard aircraft lost their lives.
January: A Boeing 737-9 MAX suffered fuselage separation while departing Portland. All 177 passengers survived.
March: A Dash 8-300 collided midair with a Cessna 172M over Nairobi National Park. Two fatalities occurred on the Cessna, while all Dash 8-300 passengers survived.
May: A Boeing 777-300 experienced severe turbulence, resulting in one fatality.
July: A CRJ-200 crashed on takeoff in Nepal due to loss of control, claiming 18 lives.
August: An ATR-72 crash in Brazil killed 62 passengers and crew after losing control mid-flight.
October: An IL-76 freighter accident in Sudan resulted in five fatalities.
December: An ERJ-190 crash in Kazakhstan claimed 38 lives.
Regional Aviation Safety Performance
IATA’s report also detailed the accident rates across different regions in 2024:
North America: Recorded 12 accidents, with an all-accident rate of 1.20 per million flights, an improvement from 1.53 in 2023. The region has maintained a zero fatality risk since 2020. Common incidents included tail strikes, runway damage, and excursions.
Africa: Recorded 10 accidents, increasing the accident rate to 10.59 per million flights, above the five-year average of 8.46. However, the fatality risk remained at zero for the second consecutive year.
Asia-Pacific: Recorded seven accidents, with an all-accident rate of 1.04 per million flights, slightly increasing from 0.92 in 2023 but still below the five-year average of 1.10. Fatality risk remained low at 0.15.
Middle East and North Africa: Recorded two accidents, with an accident rate of 1.08 per million flights, an improvement from 1.12 in 2023. Fatality risk remained at zero since 2019.
Challenges and Future Improvements
Despite improvements in global aviation safety, IATA has expressed concerns about new challenges, including the impact of growing space operations on air traffic management and the increasing risks posed by GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) interference, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa.
For Africa, addressing infrastructure deficiencies, enhancing regulatory enforcement, and strengthening airline oversight will be key to reducing accident rates. The Focus Africa Initiative will continue working with regional aviation authorities to implement more stringent safety measures and improve overall air travel security.
While air travel remains one of the safest modes of transportation, IATA’s 2024 safety report underscores the need for continued vigilance and investment in aviation safety, especially in regions like Africa, where challenges persist.
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