Increase in Airline Accidents in Africa

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Africa has the lowest air traffic rate in the world with a dismal 3 percent of the population opting for air travel. Based on the statistics released by Montreal-based International Civil Aviation Organization this aversion to air travel can be attributed to the frequent and tragic airline accidents, accounting for an overwhelming 17 percent of the accidents around the globe. The heightened fear is especially pervasive in Nigeria that has witnessed a record number of air crashes in the nation’s air transport history. In fact, the second largest economy in the continent, Nigeria experiences sudden power outages, air traffic control system caused delays in air departures and arrivals and radars screens going blank. As if all these safety loopholes were not enough, the aircrafts are often outdated and to make matters worse, the air traffic controllers and pilots do not always compliant of safety standards set at the job. With the increase in airline accidents in 2005 which resulted in a mass revile of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority led to drastic reforms were promulgated. This brought some reprieve to the Nigerian air travelers and citizens alike. “From 2006 when Nigeria passed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Act into law, after a series of crashes, to 2012, the nation enjoyed a relative crash free period, save for the Beechcraft 900D belonging to Wings Aviation which disappeared in March 2008 with three persons on board on its way to Bebi airstrip. It was discovered six months later in a deep valley where it crashed” (Air Crashes: NCAA Must Act Now to Ensure a Crash-free Industry, Jan 2014) . Background However, the catastrophic crash of Dana Air, one of the safer airlines, in June, 2012 shook the minds of ... ... middle of paper ... ...nes industry and Nigeria of major air accidents such as the Dana crash. References 1. Air Crashes: NCAA Must Act Now to Ensure a Crash-free Industry, 17 Jan 2014, http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/air-crashes-ncaa-must-act-now-to-ensure-a-crash-free-industry/168982/ 2. http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/columnists/air-crashes-and-a-drowsy-aviation-regulator.html 3. NCAA and Dana audit: Matters arising, Abel Orukpe / Lagos (June 2013), Daily Independent, http://dailyindependentnig.com/2013/11/ncaa-and-dana-audit-matters-arising/ 4. DANA PLANE CRASH: How Captain battled with failed engines mid-air, LAWANI MIKAIRU & DANIEL ETEGHE (Jul 2012), http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/07/dana-plane-crash-how-captain-battled-with-failed-engines-mid-air-report/#sthash.caeYIr6M.dpuf 5. Dana airlines may resume operations soon, Dec 2013, Premium Times

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