BERLIN - A total of 334 people lost their lives in civil aviation accidents worldwide last year, according to preliminary data from the German air traffic industry association BDL, reported German news agency dpa.
The fatalities included passengers, crew members, and seven individuals on the ground.
In contrast, 2023 saw just 80 fatalities, the second-lowest toll since 1970.
The BDL's statistics account for accidents involving aircraft with at least 14 seats. Smaller aircraft and military aviation incidents were excluded from the report.
While the number of aviation deaths hit a record low in 2017, there was an uptick in subsequent years, the association said.
However, long-term trends show significant safety improvements. "Flying was approximately 53 times safer last year than in the 1970s," said BDL managing director Joachim Lang.
In 2024, 17 accidents involving passenger and cargo aircraft were investigated, according to the association.
The most devastating accident occurred on December 29, when a Boeing 737-800 operated by South Korea's Jeju Air crashed while landing at Muan Airport. The accident claimed the lives of 179 passengers, while two crew members survived. Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the crash.
According to UN International Civil Aviation Organisation projections, some 4.7 billion passengers flew globally in 2024 - over 10 times the average from the 1970s, when only 440 million people flew yearly. In some years during that time, more than 2,000 lives were lost in air crashes. - BERNAMA-dpa