Air Safety in Sub-Saharan Africa Shows Significant Improvement: IATA Report
The region recorded seven accidents in 2025, bringing the overall incident rate down to 7.86 per million flights, compared to 12.13 in 2024, according to the recent report by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Statistical Breakdown:
71% of the recorded accidents involved turboprop aircraft;
While the risk of fatalities was zero in 2024, it rose to 2.19 in 2025;
IATA identified a predominance of tail strikes, landing gear malfunctions, runway excursions, and ground damage as the most frequent problems.
Despite these figures, air travel remains the safest mode of long-haul transport, IATA’s Director General Willie Walsh said, noting that the accidents are extremely rare.
Long-Term Safety Trends:
2012-2016: One fatal accident per 3.5 million flights;
2021-2025: One fatal accident per 5.6 million flights.
Furthermore, IATA highlighted the expansion of conflict zones as an escalating risk factor, noting that it specifically leads to:
Flight path diversions;
Increased operational complexity for airlines.