[Avionics Today 05-19-2016] An A320 operated by Egyptair disappeared from radar over the Mediterranean Sea in the early morning hours of May 19. Egyptair flight MS 804 was carrying 66 passengers enroute from Paris, France to Cairo, Egypt. The Egyptian Civil Aviation Minister Sharif Fathi said in a press conference earlier today that the disappearance could be caused by both terrorism and technical failure, although nothing can be certain until search teams uncover the wreckage.
The loss of the Egyptair flight comes as one in a string of civil aviation incidents in the last two years, and the second major disaster this year alone following the Flydubai Flight 981 crash in Russia last March. Despite recent highly publicized losses, however, an Aviation Safety Network report finds that commercial aviation deaths have been trending steadily downwards for the last decade. Check out the chart below compiled by Statista to learn more.
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| Commercial aviation deaths since 1942. Photo: Statista |