Arab Weather - The global aviation sector witnessed a series of tragic air accidents in the last week of December 2024, ranging from plane crashes, mechanical failures, and even cyber attacks. These accidents, which included three painful incidents, raised concerns among passengers and led to hundreds of injuries and deaths.
South Korea recorded one of the worst aviation accidents this year when a Jeju Air plane crashed while landing at Muan International Airport.
The plane, which was flying from Bangkok with 175 passengers and 6 crew on board, skidded off the runway and caught fire. The accident killed 179 people, with only two survivors. Initial investigations indicated that the cause may have been a faulty landing gear, and that a bird strike may have contributed to the accident.
In another incident, an Air Canada plane was forced to make an emergency landing at Halifax International Airport in Nova Scotia.
The plane, coming from St. John's, had a problem with its landing gear during landing, causing it to skid and catch fire. Thanks to the efforts of the crew, all 137 passengers were safely evacuated without serious injuries, despite the terrifying moments.
Oslo Airport in Norway witnessed a swerving accident involving a KLM Boeing 737-800.
The plane, which was heading to Amsterdam, veered off the runway due to a technical problem. However, the 182 passengers were evacuated safely, and no serious injuries were reported.
On December 25, an Azerbaijan Airlines plane was involved in a terrible accident while flying from Baku to Grozny. The accident resulted in the deaths of 38 people out of 67 passengers.
Following the incident, several airlines announced the suspension of their flights to Russia:
On December 23, a small plane crashed in Gramado, Brazil, killing all ten passengers.
The accident occurred after the plane hit a building chimney, then a house, before crashing into a furniture store. Seventeen people on the ground were injured with varying degrees of injuries.
In addition to air accidents, some airlines have been hit by cyber attacks and technical glitches that have disrupted flights during the holiday season:
As December comes to an end, this catastrophic week serves as a renewed reminder of the need to strengthen safety and security measures in the aviation sector, both on the ground and in the air.
See also:
What are air turbulence and what are its types?
Arabia Weather App
Download the app to receive weather notifications and more..