In 2009, the accident over the South Atlantic Ocean involving a French aircraft on the way from Brazil claimed 228 lives, representing 91 % of all fatalities registered that year. In July 2014 an aircraft registered in Spain, but leased to an Algerian operator, crashed in Mali (116 fatalities). However, 2015 was marked by the Germanwings crash mentioned above and the accident on the Sinai Peninsula (Egypt) involving an Irish-registered aircraft on a charter flight (224 fatalities). From 2016 to 2021 no major accidents were recorded in commercial air transport. Information on whether the accident took place on EU territory or elsewhere in the world is also presented in the figure. Over the last six years, there were no worldwide major accidents in commercial air transport involving EU-registered aircraftįigure 2 shows the number of persons killed in commercial air transport accidents involving EU-registered aircraft for the period 1990-2021. In comparison, there were five fatalities in 2020, 18 in 2019 and seven in 2018. Aerial work denotes the operation of aircraft for specialised services, such as agriculture, construction, photography, surveying, observation and patrol, search and rescue as well as aerial advertisement. In 2021, there were no fatalities recorded for aerial work and commercial air transport. Source: Eurostat, (tran_sf_aviaca), (tran_sf_aviaaw), (tran_sf_aviagah), (tran_sf_aviagal) Since 2006, less than 10 fatalities were registered every year from accidents on the EU territory involving such large aircraft registered in the EU.įigure 1: Persons killed in air accidents involving EU-registered aircraft by aviation category, EU, 2021 In 2021, there were nine persons killed in general aviation accidents involving EU-registered aircraft with an MTOM above 2 250 kg - this is slightly above the number for 2020 when five persons were killed. An exception was year 2015, when a high number of fatalities were recorded in commercial air transport due to the crash of a German aircraft in the French Alps (150 fatalities). In most years, fatalities recorded in air transport were registered in this category. More specifically, the latter sub-category, which comprises small aeroplanes, dirigibles, para- and motor-gliders, 'microlights', small helicopters as well as hot air balloons, recorded the highest share of fatalities (92.6 % of all fatalities in aviation accidents). General aviation has two sub-categories: operations with aircraft with a maximum take-off mass (MTOM) above 2 250 kg and below 2 250 kg. General aviation (aeroplanes and helicopters) consists of all civil aviation operations other than commercial air transport and specific types of aerial work operations. In 2021, all fatalities recorded concerned this category (see Figure 1). Every year, most of the air accident fatalities concern general aviation. In 2021, 121 fatalities were recorded in aviation accidents on EU territory and involving EU-registered aircraft. The Annual Safety Review 2022 pointed out the risk on safety due to the reduced flying time of pilots over an extended period, the traffic in Europe being back to around 85 % of 2019 levels. In particular, the air transport industry was severely impacted as a consequence of the restrictive measures taken by countries around the world to prevent the spread of the pandemic. As highlighted in EASA's Annual Safety Review 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic brought new challenges to every aspect of life and industry. In the Annual Safety Review 2019, EASA reminded that there is no room for complacency, after the increase observed in 2018: 189 persons in total died in aviation accidents on EU territory in 2018 and involving EU-registered aircraft. In its Annual Safety Review 2018, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) highlighted that 2017 was an exceptional year for global airline safety, with fewer fatalities than at any time in the industry's history (155 deaths only). All air accident fatalities on EU territory, involving EU-registered aircraft, concerned general aviation in 2021
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