The year 2024 witnessed a series of devastating aviation accidents, raising serious concerns about global air travel safety.
Three separate airplane incidents last week during the busy December holiday travel period have reignited anxieties about aviation safety.
This year, 318 people died in plane crashes, according to the Aviation Safety Network, making it the deadliest year in aviation since 2018, when 557 fatalities were recorded.
This marks the first time in five years that aviation fatalities have exceeded the 300 mark.
In contrast, 2023 saw a major drop in fatalities, with just 120 deaths, making it the safest year in air travel since 2017, when only 58 people died.
Here’s a look at some of the most significant crashes that occurred throughout the year:
South Korea plane crash: 179 dead, December 28
On December 28, a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800, en route from Bangkok to Seoul, crashed during an emergency landing at Muan Airport.
The aircraft belly-landed, skidded off the runway, and erupted into flames after hitting a wall.
Of the 181 passengers and crew, 179 lost their lives, making it the deadliest crash of the year.
Azerbaijan Airlines crash: 38 dead, December 25
On December 25, Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243, traveling from Baku to Grozny, crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan.
Mechanical issues and dense fog reportedly contributed to the crash, which claimed 38 lives, leaving 29 survivors.
The incident was further complicated by allegations of ground-based gunfire.
Brazil private plane crash: 10 dead, December 22
On December 22, a private plane piloted by Brazilian businessman Luiz Claudio Galeazzi crashed in Gramado, Brazil.
The crash killed Galeazzi, his family, and five other passengers. The aircraft struck a chimney, a house, and a shop, injuring 17 people on the ground.
Papua New Guinea crash: 5 dead, December 22
A North Coast Aviation Britten-Norman Islander crashed in Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea, on December 22.
All five people aboard the flight from Wasu to Lae-Nadzab perished in the crash.
Hawaii Instructional flight crash: 2 dead, December 17
On December 17, a Kamaka Air Cessna 208B crashed during an instructional flight near Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.
Both pilots died when the plane lost control and collided with a building shortly after takeoff.
Argentina Challenger crash: 2 dead, December 17
A Bombardier Challenger 300 crashed on December 17 near San Fernando Airport, Argentina.
Both pilots lost their lives when the aircraft missed the runway, struck a fence, and caught fire.
Thailand Charter plane crash: 9 dead, August 23
On August 23, a Thai Flying Service charter plane crashed near Bangkok.
All nine passengers aboard the Cessna Caravan C208B were killed.
Brazil VoePass plane crash: 62 dead, August 11
A VoePass ATR-72 turboprop flight crashed in Vinhedo, Brazil, on August 11.
The tragedy claimed all 62 lives aboard.
Nepal small plane crash: 18 dead, July 24
A Saurya Airlines CRJ-200 caught fire during takeoff on July 24 in Kathmandu.
The crash killed 18 of the 19 people onboard, with the captain being the sole survivor.
Malawi Military plane crash: 10 dead, June 10
On June 10, Malawi’s Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima and nine others, including former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri, died when their military plane crashed en route to Mzuzu.
Iran helicopter crash: 7 dead, May 19
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and six others perished on May 19 when a Bell 212 helicopter crashed in the mountainous Varzeqan region.
Canada plane crash: 6 dead, January 23
On January 23, a Northwestern Air plane carrying Rio Tinto employees crashed near Fort Smith in Canada’s Northwest Territories, killing six of the seven people onboard.
Japan aircraft collision: 6 dead, January 2
A tragic collision occurred on January 2 at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport between a Japan Airlines Airbus A350 and a Coast Guard aircraft. While passengers on the airliner escaped, five of the six crew members on the smaller plane died.
Is flying still safe?
With so many high-profile incidents, it is natural that people may start to question if air travel is safe.
In fact, a survey conducted earlier this year by the digital analytics company Quantum Metric showed that 55% of travellers indicated they had altered their flight booking habits due to recent news about aircraft and airlines.
But stats do still show that airplanes remain one of the safest modes of transportation.
Aviation safety has been improving steadily over the decades, as per a research paper published by Massachusetts Institute of Technology professors on the risks of commercial flights.
The paper, published in the Journal of Air Transport Management in August, reveals that from 2018 to 2022, the global risk of dying on a commercial flight was 1 in 13.7 million passenger boardings.
This marks a massive improvement from the previous decade and is a far cry from the 1 in 350,000 risk of death between 1968 and 1977.
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