Geneva: The 2024 all-accident rate for commercial aviation stood at 1.13 per million flights, marking an improvement over the five-year average of 1.25 but slightly higher than 2023's record low of 1.09, as revealed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) 2024 Safety Report released Wednesday.

According to Anadolu Agency, seven fatal accidents were recorded in 2024 from 40.6 million flights, a notable increase from one in 2023 and the five-year average of five. The number of onboard fatalities also rose to 244, compared to 72 in 2023, although the overall fatality risk remained low at 0.06.

Willie Walsh, the head of IATA, pointed out the ongoing improvements in aviation safety. He remarked, "A decade ago, the five-year average was one accident for every 456,000 flights. Today, it's one for every 810,000 flights." This highlights the industry's strides in enhancing safety standards.

The report identified the most frequent types of accidents as tail strikes and runway excursions, emphasizing the critical need for safety measures during takeoffs and landings.

Highlighting rising risks in conflict zones, the report noted two aircraft were downed-one in Kazakhstan with 38 fatalities and another in Sudan with five fatalities. These incidents underscore the necessity of the Safer Skies initiative, which seeks to enhance safety in high-risk airspace. Walsh stressed, "No civil aircraft should ever be a target-deliberate or accidental-of military operations," urging for improved global intelligence-sharing and stronger protocols to safeguard civilian aviation.

The report comes on the heels of several prominent aircraft accidents in recent weeks, particularly in the United States, which are not part of Wednesday's statistics but will be included in the 2025 report.