Concerns about the inadequate publication of aviation accident reports globally were raised at an industry conference in Montreal. Aviation safety activists announced that national authorities in countries have not published enough aviation accident reports to provide recommendations for improving flight safety.
Current Situation and Criticism
According to officials, only about half of all aviation accidents investigated under international regulations publish their final reports. Meanwhile, aviation business groups are calling for improvements to these results. Mark Searle, global safety director at the International Air Transport Association (IATA), stated: "I expected more efforts to improve the current situation. I don't think 50% is acceptable."
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According to Searle, the current situation has alarmingly remained around 50% with no real progress observed. He made this remark on the sidelines of the International Air Safety Conference in Montreal.
Challenges in the Reporting Process
It is still unclear when the final report on the Boeing 787 Airbus incident in India, which crashed in June 2025 shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad, will be published. The draft of this report, which led to the deaths of 260 people, was expected to be presented around October. However, before the draft can be approved, it must be sent for consultation to the interested countries.
Under international regulations known as Annex 13, these investigations are initiated to help experts gain knowledge and provide recommendations that can enhance safety. According to standard international procedures, final reports on aviation accidents are typically published within a year of the incident.
Additionally, Saudi Arabia is currently conducting investigations under international law regarding an incident that occurred on September 30 during a flight to Israel. However, it is still unclear whether Saudi Arabia will publish a preliminary report.
Hasan Shahidi, president and CEO of the Flight Safety Foundation that organized this conference, acknowledges that convincing all countries to produce timely reports is a significant challenge. In an interview, he stated that the reasons for not providing reports are often related to a lack of specialized personnel in investigative bodies. In some cases, incidents are sensitive as they involve intentional aircraft crashes.
Producing these reports is crucial in preventing the recurrence of similar incidents. Searle stated in this regard: "When these reports are not published with precise recommendations, the industry cannot learn."
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