Global airline deaths up in 2018, but year still among safest ever

Jan. 3 (UPI) -- Global deaths connected to airlines increased in 2018 with more than 500 fatalities, but statistics compiled by two European organizations said Tuesday the year still was among the safest ever for flying.

The Dutch consultant group To70 and Netherlands-based Aviation Safety Network both noted the increase in deaths, spurred by October's Lion Air crash near Jakarta, Indonesia, that killed 189 and a Cuban de Aviacion flight last May that went down near Havana, killing 112.

The Aviation Safety Network identified 15 fatal airliner crashes, resulting in 556 fatalities. To70, whose Civil Aviation Safety Review examines crashes only involving larger passenger aircraft commonly used by most travelers, cited 13 fatal incidents resulting in 534 fatalities.

"In 2017, the number was historically low: 48 accidents including two fatal accidents resulting in the loss of 13 lives," To70 wrote in its review. "Both of those fatal accidents were to regional turboprops; the number of fatal accidents involving large turbojet-powered passenger aircraft in commercial operation was zero in 2017."

The Aviation Safety Network, though, cited 44 aviation deaths in 2017 from 10 crashes, with a five-year average of 480 deaths and 14 crashes. The report went on to say that given the worldwide air traffic of about 37.8 million flights, the crash rate comes to one fatal incident per 2.52 million flights.

"If the accident rate had remained the same as 10 years ago, there would have been 39 fatal accidents last year," network chief executive Harro Ranter said in a statement. "At the accident rate of the year 2000, there would have been even 64 fatal accidents. This shows the enormous progress in terms of safety in the past two decades."

To70 said air travel in Europe and North America remained the safest in the world, but added the airline industry must remain alert to incidents and glean lessons from the accidents that do occur.