AVIATION DISASTERS CAST LONG SHADOW OVER GLOBAL AIR TRAVEL SAFETY IN 2024

The year 2024 was marred by a string of devastating aviation disasters that left hundreds of people dead and sparked renewed questions about air travel safety standards. Two of the deadliest aircraft crashes occurred in December, in Azerbaijan and South Korea, leaving nearly 220 passengers dead.

South Korean plane crash on December 28 claimed the lives of 179 people, including all 175 passengers and four crew members on board a Boeing 737-800 that crashed during an emergency landing at Muan Airport. In contrast, the deadliest aviation accident in Azerbaijan occurred just days later when Flight J2-8243 carrying 38 people from Baku to Grozny crashed near Kazakhstan's Aktau city, resulting in the deaths of at least 29 people on board and two who survived.

Other notable aviation accidents that took place this year include a small plane crash in Scotland on December 23 that killed its pilot, as well as a private plane crash in Brazil on December 22 which claimed the lives of 10 people including a businessman and his family. Three more fatal crashes occurred in Papua New Guinea on December 22; Greece did not record any aviation-related fatalities this year.