Africa's Aviation Accident Rate Highest in 2025: IATA Report

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported that Africa had the highest aviation accident rate in 2025, with 7.86 accidents per million flights, a decrease from 11 accidents in 2024. Despite this improvement, the fatal risk increased sharply from zero in 2024 to 2.19 per million flights, primarily driven by incidents involving turboprop aircraft.

The report noted that 71 accidents involved African operators and highlighted the significant lag in accident investigations, with only 19 out of 71 accidents reported in compliance with Annex 13 of the Chicago Convention. IATA's Director General, Willie Walsh, emphasized that infrastructure issues, particularly rigid obstacles near runways, contribute to accident severity.

The report also indicated that globally, there were 51 accidents among 38.7 million flights in 2025, with a rise in fatal accidents resulting in 394 fatalities compared to 244 in 2024. Walsh stressed the importance of improving safety through better accident investigations and global coordination.