80 killed in plane crashes in 2023 in the world, 2nd lowest since 1970

The Federal Association of the German Air Transport Industry (BDL) said Tuesday that just 80 people worldwide lost their lives in accidents involving passenger aircraft last year, including eight crew members, reported dpa.

This was the second-lowest number since 1970 the association said.

The statistics include aircraft with a capacity of at least 14 seats.

The figures are even more impressive as the UN's International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) said a total of 4.6 billion passengers were transported worldwide last year.

That means 14 times as many passengers were in the skies last year as in 1970, meaning that flying has become immensely safer since then.

As recently as the 1990s, more than 1,000 people died in airplane accidents per year.

The BDL said only passenger aircraft were affected by the accidents analysed Data on accidents involving smaller aircraft was not initially available. Accidents involving military aircraft were also not recorded.

In contrast, there were no fatalities in cargo air traffic in 2023.

In Germany and the European Union, there were also no accidents involving aircraft on the scale recorded.

Most people died in the crash of an ATR 72-500 passenger aircraft approaching Pakhora International Airport in Nepal at the beginning of January 2023. All of the 72 occupants, including four crew members, lost their lives.