Last year saw
the fewest number of airliner crashes since 1945, when, of course, there were
only a fraction of the number of flights we have today. Altogether there were 23 fatal accidents,
killing 475 in aircraft, plus 36 on the ground.
The number
involving passenger flights was even lower – just 11. The year 2012 also saw the longest time to
elapse without an accident in modern aviation history – 68 days. The worst event of the year happened on June
3, when a Dana Air MD-83 crashed on approach to Lagos in Nigeria, killing 153 people
on board and 10 on the ground.
Africa remains
the least safe continent, accounting for 22% of all fatal airliner accidents even
though the continent accounts for only about 3% of all departures. Airlines from 14 African nations are banned
from flying into the EU.
The accident figure has been declining steadily since 1997, and the Aviation
Safety Network, which compiles it, says this is a tribute to the continuing
efforts of international aviation organisations.
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