Safest-ever year for world’s airlines

The world’s airlines had their safest ever year in 2004, with five crashes and a death toll of 466 people. This compares with 702 deaths in 2003; last year’s figure was the lowest since 1984, when there were far fewer aircraft operating. According to a report in The Guardian, the five crashes involved two African-registered aircraft and three from Asia. The newspaper states that European and American carriers have now gone more than three years without a crash that has been blamed on the aircraft or pilot. David Learmount, of Flight International, which published the information, is quoted as saying: “Each generation of modern aeroplanes is more reliable and safer than its predecessors. Extremely clever pieces of kit in the cockpit have become compulsory throughout much of Europe and North America.” The figures so not include crashes attributed to terrorism, including two Russian aircraft that were reportedly brought down by Chechen extremists in August. Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad Ltd