Airline accidents decline in 2015 - IATA

Airline accidents decline significantly in 2015, making it the safest in the past five years.

According to a report from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), there were 136 deaths from accidental crashes last year. This represents less than a quarter of the death toll in 2014 which was 641 deaths.

“In terms of the number of fatal accidents, it was an extraordinarily safe year,” said Tony Tyler, CEO of the Montreal-based air industry group.

IATA said all of last year’s fatalities involved turboprop aircraft and not jets. The group noted that the annual average over the last five years was 17.6 fatal accidents and 504 fatalities.

The figure does not include two major plane crashes that were caused deliberately.

The crash of German wings 9525 in the French Alps which killed 150 people was blamed on the pilot. The Metrojet 9268 crash in Egypt that killed 224 people was also blamed on terrorism.

However, Egyptian authorities said a preliminary investigation into the Russian passenger plane crash indicates terrorism was not responsible.

“The technical investigative committee has so far not found any evidence indicating criminal or terrorist activity in the downing of the plane,” Chief investigator Ayman El-Muqqadam said.

Global aviation had fewer fatal accidents in 'extraordinarily safe' 2015 – IATA https://t.co/E44myjg1T5 #SGAirshow

— ReutersAerospaceNews (ReutersAero) February 15, 2016

IATA said there were a total of 68 accidents last year, compared to 77 the year before.