The Hindu Business Line : `Air passenger fatalities in 2004 lowest since 1945'

PASSENGER fatalities in global civil aviation in 2004 have been the lowest in any year since 1945, according to statistics released by the Montreal-based International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

According to an ICAO communiqué, an analysis of the preliminary information available on civil aviation safety and security for 2004 has just been completed. With regard to safety in 2004, and not taking into account aircraft accidents caused by acts of unlawful interference, there were nine aircraft accidents involving passenger fatalities on scheduled air services worldwide for aircraft with a maximum take-off mass of more than 2,250 kg.

In 2004, the total number of passenger fatalities was 203. In 2003, there were 466 passenger fatalities from seven accidents. The passenger fatality figures for 2004 are stated to be the lowest since 1945.

On account of the significantly lower number of passenger fatalities in 2004, and taking into account the increase in the total scheduled passenger traffic, the accident rate for scheduled air services, and as measured in passenger fatalities per 100 million passenger-kilometres, decreased from 0.015 in 2003 to 0.005 in 2004.

With regard to non-scheduled operations, there were 18 accidents involving passenger fatalities for aircraft with a maximum take-off mass of more than 2,250 kg in 2004 compared with 25 in 2003. These accidents accounted for 207 passenger fatalities in 2004 compared with 217 in 2003.

ICAO states that in 2004, there were 16 acts of unlawful interference in which 91 persons were killed and eight were injured. Also, in 2004, there was one act of successful hijacking compared with three acts recorded in 2003. The number of airport attacks, too, went down to four in 2004, compared with 10 in 2003.

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`Air passenger fatalities in 2004 lowest since 1945'