Africa Records Highest Aviation Accident Rate in 2025

Africa recorded the highest aviation accident rate in the world in 2025 despite a decline in the total number of crashes, according to the International Air Transport Association’s latest Annual Safety Report.

The continent reported seven accidents involving African operators in 2025, down from 11 in 2024. However, when measured against total flight activity, Africa posted 7.86 accidents per million flights — the highest rate among all global regions. While this marks an improvement from the five-year regional average of 9.37 accidents per million flights, it remains significantly above safety rates in Europe, Asia and North America.

Fatality risk also rose sharply. After recording no fatal accidents in 2024, Africa’s fatality rate increased to 2.19 fatalities per million flights in 2025. Turboprop aircraft were involved in the majority of incidents, accounting for approximately 71% of accidents among African operators.

Turboprops are widely used across the continent due to their lower operating costs and ability to serve shorter or less-developed runways common at regional airports. However, runway-related events — particularly runway excursions where aircraft overshoot or veer off the runway — were the most frequently reported accident types.

Infrastructure challenges remain a significant concern. IATA Director General Willie Walsh warned that poorly designed runway environments and rigid obstacles near airfields can worsen accident outcomes, sometimes turning survivable events into fatal ones. He urged airport operators and regulators to strengthen runway safety areas and align with international aviation standards.

The report also highlighted persistent weaknesses in accident investigation processes. Only 19% of investigations in Africa were completed in accordance with international standards under the Chicago Convention. By comparison, completion rates reached 81% in the Commonwealth of Independent States and 78% in North America. Delayed or incomplete reports limit the industry’s ability to implement corrective safety measures.

Globally, aviation safety performance improved slightly in 2025, with 51 accidents recorded across 38.7 million flights, down from 54 the previous year. However, fatal accidents increased to eight worldwide, resulting in 394 fatalities compared with 244 in 2024.

IATA also warned of emerging safety risks linked to geopolitical conflicts and disruptions to Global Navigation Satellite Systems, which can interfere with aircraft navigation in regions affected by military activity.

Despite regional disparities, IATA maintains that air travel remains the safest form of long-distance transportation, while emphasizing that continued oversight and infrastructure investment are critical to improving safety performance in Africa.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, africa.businessinsider.com