Global aviation accident deaths rose in 2025, safety group says
A total of 418 people were killed worldwide in accidents involving civilian aircraft in 2025, up from 334 deaths the previous year, according to figures released on Friday.
Data from the Aviation Safety Network, cited by Germany’s aviation industry association BDL, show the victims included 352 passengers, 33 crew members and 33 people on the ground.
Despite the increase, BDL said the rise appears short-term and that long-term aviation safety continues to improve. The statistical probability of dying in an aircraft accident in 2025 was estimated at one in 11.46 million, compared with about one in 264,000 in the 1970s.
At that time, annual fatalities sometimes exceeded 2,000, despite far fewer flights. The International Civil Aviation Organization estimates that 4.7 billion people traveled by air in 2025, compared with fewer than 440 million in the 1970s.
The figures cover civilian aircraft with at least 14 seats and exclude military aviation.
The deadliest accident of the year occurred on June 12, when a Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed seconds after takeoff in Ahmedabad, India, killing 229 passengers and 12 crew members. One passenger survived, while 19 people on the ground also died. Investigations into the loss of engine power are continuing.
