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Tragedy in

n the May AeroSafety World, we re- news programming for at least 24 hours Foundation and President and CEO Bill ported on International Air Transport after the crash. Voss, along with IATA’s Tyler, released a Association (IATA) statistics showing It’s much too early to know the cause statement in support of the Nigerian Civil an improved safety picture in Africa. of either accident, but there are some Aviation Authority and its director gen- IThe rate of Western-built hull losses in important factors to be considered. First eral, Harold Demuren, who recently was Africa fell to 3.27 per million flights in of all, as IATA CEO Tony Tyler said in named by the International Civil Aviation 2011 from 7.41 per million in 2010, and remarks prepared for delivery at the Organization as chairman of the Regional the number of accidents for all aircraft IATA Annual General Meeting in Beijing, Aviation Safety Group for Africa. types declined from 18 in 2010 to eight “As the two tragic accidents earlier this Of ’s CAA and Demuren, a last year. Still too many, but a positive month in Africa reminded us, safety is a member of the Foundation’s Board of move nonetheless. “Good News About constant challenge.” Governors, Voss said: “Since 2006, we Africa,” said the headline on p. 49. Tyler went on to say that the indus- have seen the creation of an autonomous Fast forward just a few weeks, and try’s safety achievements are not distrib- civil authority that has been immune last year’s “good news” was pushed aside uted evenly across all regions and that “it from political interference in Nigeria. by two tragedies that occurred in rapid is our duty as an industry to ensure that Aggressive steps have been taken to succession. On June 2, a Boeing 727-200 flying is safe everywhere.” We at Flight build a capable and competent civil freighter operated by Allied Air ran off the Safety Foundation are trying to do our aviation authority.” end of the runway after landing at - part by spending our time and resources Here’s hoping the Nigerian Accident Kotoka International Airport in and in areas of the world where the Founda- Investigation Bureau can get to the bottom slammed into a minivan. Twelve people on tion is needed the most, and numer- of this month’s tragedy professionally and the ground were killed, including 10 in the ous other organizations are taking the accurately, that its findings help advance minivan, which was being used as a taxi. same approach. It is incumbent upon the the industry’s safety record and that the One day later, a Dana Air McDonnell companies and countries with the most country’s CAA is allowed to continue to Douglas MD-83 with 153 passengers and expertise and experience to see that their develop, free from political interference. crew crashed into a residential area near knowledge is spread around the world. -Murtala Muhammed Interna- Also important is the recognition that, tional Airport in Nigeria after the pilot despite recent events, real progress is being declared an emergency during the short made in Africa in terms of safety, albeit flight from to Lagos. Everyone perhaps not uniformly across the continent. aboard was killed, as were a number of Despite the tragedy in Lagos, Nigeria is Frank Jackman people on the ground. Video of the smol- one of those countries where progress is Editor-in-Chief dering wreckage dominated television apparent. Within days of the accident, the AeroSafety World

4 | flight safety foundation | AeroSafetyWorld | June 2012