From Jeju Air to Azerbaijan Airlines, What Is Causing So Many Air Crashes?

Another news coming straight from South Korea where a Jeju Airline flight crash landed at Muan International Airport after it lost control. According to officials, the reason behind the crash is yet to be identified. The possible factor of the crash is assumed to be a bird strike. Close to 179 passengers out of 181 passengers had lost their lives. The two survivors were identified as Cabin crews who were rescued from burning ashes. According to aviation authorities, the plane went into difficulty at 6000 feet right before approaching and the pilots had called it a mayday. They were allowed to land in the opposite direction of the runway since it was an emergency.

A few days back another incident took place where an Azerbaijan Airlines flight crashed because of a diversion towards the Caspian Sea. However, recently Russia confirmed that external interference led to the deadly air crash. The crash took the lives of more than 38 passengers. The decreasing air safety has led to passengers considering alternatives. This can be a challenge in the aviation industry as they rely on passenger movement highly. The question here is “Why airlines are witnessing so many deadly crashes?”. The year 2024 recorded close to 100 airplane crashes which is quite high and can turn passenger footfall down.

Some of the key points that may contribute to plane crashes globally include pilot skills. Often the authorities hand over aircraft to pilots who have specific hours of flying and can demonstrate their abilities. However, the poor judgment of pilots and their overconfidence lead to such deadly crashes. The pilots need to follow certain protocols while on air and when these are missed, there are mis-judgements made. Error from the ATC or Air Traffic Control is also one of the threats. Often they are unable to analyse the incoming and outgoing flights. Two different flights hover at the same altitude and they tend to collide mid-air.

Terrorist activity has also seen a rise in the recent past. Concerning the Azerbaijan Airlines flight, Russia has claimed to have attacked the flight which was a measure to counter-terrorism. However, these were direct attacks on the aircraft and can be considered as a terrorist attack as the passengers inside the aircraft were innocent. This negligence of Russia will be remembered as their poor judgment killed close to 40 passengers and injured many.

Mechanical failures are unavoidable and may occur when the flight is on air. Moreover, incidents such as bird strikes can cause mechanical failure as well. In the case of Jeju Airlines, a bird strike in one of the engines is believed to be the reason behind the deadly crash. It is beyond the capabilities of humans to control the course of birds which is a frequent challenge among the pilots and the aircraft.

Aviation Authorities bring strong steps including proper pilot training in advanced situations so that their capabilities can be enriched. Moreover, safer airspace will foster safer transportation, and the fate of flights can be better unlike what was seen in Azerbaijan Airlines which crashed because of external impact.