Over the last three months, international news has been somewhat dominated by an increasing surge in aviation incidents. 2025 alone has seen 13 fatal aircraft accidents including 10 incidents in January and three in February as of Monday 17 February. This followed closely behind a tumultuous December which saw the industry facing seven alarming incidents across countries, including Kazakhstan, South Korea, Canada, Norway, Germany, and the UAE.
Amid this devastating international trend, the South African Civil Aviation Authority, SACAA, will be hosting two significant events. These include the General Aviation Safety Week at Airspan Executive Airport in Rustenburg on February 21-22, 2025 already taking place, and the GAARS Seminar – General Aviation Accident Reduction Summit on February 27, 2025. The recent crashes and accidents will no doubt be the center of discussion at the events, with Monday’s crash fresh in the minds of attendees.
A Grim Start to 2025: The Alarming Rise in Global Aviation Incidents
The aviation industry has experienced a concerning number of high-profile incidents and accidents in recent months. These events have brought to light the pressing need for enhanced safety protocols and training, which will be a key topic of discussion at the events. We took a look at the events which have taken place since December 2024 to ascertain just how devastating these incidents have been.
Kazakhstan – December 25, 2024
- Incident: Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243, an Embraer 190, was shot down near Aktau, Kazakhstan, reportedly by a Russian surface-to-air missile.
- Fatalities: 38 of the 67 people on board were killed.
- Cause: The crash was attributed to external military activity in the region, with the aircraft being hit by ground fire.
Norway – December 28, 2024
- Incident: KLM Flight 1204, a Boeing 737-800, had a hydraulic system failure shortly after takeoff from Oslo.
- Fatalities: Fortunately, there were no fatalities, and the plane made an emergency landing at Sandefjord Torp Airport.
- Cause: Hydraulic system failure is under investigation.
South Korea – December 29, 2024
- Incident: A Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crashed during an attempted landing at Muan International Airport.
- Fatalities: 179 of the 181 people on board died after the front landing gear failed.
- Cause: A potential bird strike is under investigation as the airport is located in a bird migratory zone.
Canada – December 29, 2024
- Incident: Air Canada Express Flight 2259 experienced a landing gear malfunction, skidding down the runway at Halifax Stanfield International Airport.
- Fatalities: No fatalities occurred, but flames and sparks were visible as the plane slid across the runway.
- Cause: The malfunction was mechanical, and all 77 passengers and crew survived.
United Arab Emirates – December 29, 2024
- Incident: A small aircraft crashed off the coast of Ras al-Khaimah.
- Fatalities: Both the pilot and co-pilot lost their lives in the crash.
- Cause: The General Civil Aviation Authority is conducting an investigation into the cause of this tragic accident.
Germany – December 29, 2024
- Incident: A Cessna C-172 crashed near Stuttgart Airport, causing disruption to air traffic.
- Fatalities: One person was seriously injured, while the other suffered minor injuries.
- Cause: Poor visibility due to fog may have contributed to the accident.
Germany – December 30, 2024
- Incident: Jeju Air Flight 7C101, a Boeing 737-800, faced a landing gear issue shortly after takeoff.
- Fatalities: None; all passengers were unharmed.
- Cause: The incident is under investigation, with the landing gear issue as the primary concern.
Washington D.C. – January 29, 2025
- Incident: A collision between an American Airlines regional jet carrying 64 passengers and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter carrying three people.
- Fatalities: 67 people were killed in this tragic incident, making it the deadliest aviation disaster in the U.S. in over 15 years.
- Cause: Under investigation, but the crash occurred near Reagan National Airport after the plane departed from Wichita, Kansas.
Philadelphia – January 31, 2025
- Incident: A small medical jet, which was carrying a child patient, crashed into a neighborhood.
- Fatalities: All six people on board the plane and one person on the ground lost their lives in this devastating crash.
- Cause: Investigations are ongoing, but the small size and nature of the plane make it a challenging incident to fully understand.
Alaska – February 6, 2025
- Incident: A Cessna 208B Grand Caravan carrying 10 people crashed after losing altitude and going off radar.
- Fatalities: All 10 people on board were killed when the plane went down near Nome, Alaska.
- Cause: Investigations are still being conducted into whether the crash was caused by mechanical failure or environmental factors.
Arizona – February 10, 2025
- Incident: Two private jets collided while attempting to land at Scottsdale Airport.
- Fatalities: One person was killed, and four others were injured.
- Cause: The cause of the collision is still under investigation, but it highlights the dangers of busy airports and private jet traffic.
Toronto – February 17, 2025
- Incident: A Delta Air Lines regional jet carrying 80 people crashed and rolled onto its roof in Toronto on Monday.
- Fatalities: Luckily no one was killed in Monday’s crash, but 18 people have been taken to hospital with serious injuries.
- Cause: The cause is still under investigation after having departed from the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in Minnesota.
A Proactive Stance on Improving Aviation Safety Standards
The upcoming safety event will see aviation experts and key stakeholders gathering to discuss risk reduction, safety enhancements, and best practices in the sector. These events are timely, as the world grapples with an increasing number of aviation accidents. With global concerns over mechanical failures, human errors, and environmental conditions, these discussions could help pave the way for more stringent safety regulations and practices in the aviation industry.
