By Samuel Ssenono
The aviation industry recorded another strong year for safety in 2025, even as a small number of fatal accidents pushed up global deaths, according to the latest safety report released by the International Air Transport Association.
The report shows the global all-accident rate improved to 1.32 accidents per million flights in 2025, equivalent to one accident in every 759,646 flights. This was better than the 1.42 accidents per million flights recorded in 2024, though slightly above the five-year average of 1.27.
A total of 51 accidents were recorded among 38.7 million flights worldwide in 2025, compared with 54 accidents from 37.9 million flights the previous year.
However, fatalities rose sharply. There were eight fatal accidents in 2025, up from seven in 2024, while onboard deaths increased to 394, compared with 244 the year before.
IATA Director General Willie Walsh said the data still confirms aviation remains the safest mode of long-distance travel.
“Flying is the safest form of long-distance travel. Accidents are extremely rare and each one reminds us to remain focused on improving safety through global standards and cooperation,” Walsh said.
He noted that long-term safety trends continue to improve. A decade ago, the industry recorded one fatal accident for every 3.5 million flights, but today the five-year average stands at one fatal accident for every 5.6 million flights.
Most common incidents
The report found that the most frequent accidents in 2025 were:
- Tail strikes
- Landing gear incidents
- Runway excursions
- Ground damage
These incidents mainly occur during takeoff, landing, or ground handling operations, highlighting the need for improved airport and operational safety.
Notably, there were no loss-of-control-in-flight accidents in 2025, only the second time this has happened since global safety tracking began.
Africa still records highest accident rate
Africa recorded seven accidents in 2025, but the accident rate improved significantly from 12.13 per million flights in 2024 to 7.86 in 2025, better than the five-year average.
Despite the improvement, the region still had the highest accident rate globally, with most incidents involving turboprop aircraft.
Regional performance
Across other regions:
- Asia-Pacific improved to 0.91 accidents per million flights
- Europe recorded 1.30 accidents per million flights with zero fatality risk
- Latin America improved slightly to 1.77 accidents per million flights
- The Middle East and North Africa recorded only one accident in 2025
- North America reported 16 accidents, pushing its rate to 1.68 per million flights
Rising operational risks
The report also highlighted emerging threats to aviation safety, including conflict zones and satellite navigation interference.
Military activity near flight corridors has forced airlines to reroute aircraft in several regions, increasing operational complexity.
At the same time, incidents involving interference with aircraft navigation systems have surged. Reported GNSS jamming events rose by 67 percent, while GPS spoofing incidents increased by 193 percent.
Walsh warned that governments must work closely with aviation authorities to ensure civil aircraft are not exposed to military risks or navigation disruptions.
Delays in accident investigations
The report also raised concerns about the slow release of accident investigation findings.
Between 2019 and 2023, only 63 percent of accident investigation reports were completed on time, limiting the industry’s ability to learn from safety incidents.
Africa recorded the lowest completion rate at 19 percent, while the Commonwealth of Independent States had the highest at 81 percent.
IATA says faster publication of investigation reports and better global cooperation are essential to further improve aviation safety.
