Fatal Aviation Accidents Fall, But 2025 Death Toll Rises to 389.

The global air travel safety 2025 report shows a mixed year. The number of fatal accidents fell, but the overall death toll increased significantly. Four fatal aviation accidents involving passenger aircraft occurred. These crashes cost the lives of 366 passengers and crew members. An additional 23 people died on the ground or in military aircraft.

Despite the higher death toll, the rate of fatal accidents improved. The rate fell to one in every seven million flights. This is compared with a rate of about one in five million the previous year. This improvement continues the long-term trend toward greater commercial flight safety.

The To70 Safety Review

The review was compiled by Adrian Young. He is a safety expert for the Dutch aviation consultancy To70. Mr. Young cautioned the industry about the results. He warned that there is "absolutely no room for complacency."

Real-world data shows commercial flight safety remains high. For example, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported only one fatal accident in 2023. The To70 review for 2023 found a fatal accident rate of less than one in 15 million flights. The 2025 figures show a concerning rise in fatalities from recent years.

Deadliest Accident of the Year

By far the greatest loss of life occurred on 12 June 2025. This involved Air India flight AI171. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad in India. It was bound for London Gatwick. All but one of the 242 people on board died. Nineteen people on the ground were also killed. The sole survivor, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, escaped through an opening in the fuselage.

A preliminary report points to a critical failure. It concluded that fuel switches for both engines were cut off. This starved the twin jet of fuel when maximum power was needed. The aviation community has called for more transparency in the investigation.

Other Fatal Aviation Accidents

The year saw three other fatal aviation accidents involving passenger aircraft:

• Mid-Air Collision: On 29 January, an American Airlines commuter jet collided with a military helicopter. This happened near Reagan National airport in Washington DC. All 64 people on the plane died. The three soldiers in the Black Hawk helicopter were also killed. The helicopter captain is judged to have made fatal errors.
• Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT): A domestic flight in Russia was involved in a CFIT event. On 24 July, an Angara Airlines Antonov An-24 turboprop crashed. It was attempting to land at Tynda airport in poor weather. The plane flew into the ground about 15km short of the runway. The report noted the use of a low-technology "non-directional beacon" approach. CFIT remains a key risk, often linked to turboprop aircraft and less accurate navigation.
• Take-off Crash: Thirteen people died when a Jetstream 32 turboprop crashed into the sea. This occurred just after take-off from Roatan in Honduras. Five occupants survived the accident.

Turbulence and Non-Fatal Incidents

The safety review also highlighted the risk of non-fatal incidents. A total of 24 crew members and 13 passengers were seriously injured due to in-flight turbulence. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other bodies track these events. Turbulence is the leading cause of injuries in non-fatal accidents. The majority of injured passengers were not wearing their seatbelts.

Mr. Young noted that passengers could avoid this turbulence serious injuries risk. He stressed the importance of wearing seat belts at all times when seated. The industry must learn from all accident pre-cursors, not just the fatal ones. This focus on occurrence reporting is vital for future safety improvements, according to the To70 expert. Read more commercial aviation news at flying.flights.

Boeing aircraft were involved in the two largest accidents, highlighting the need for continued scrutiny across all fleets.