That is really a big increase if you consider that 261 of the airline deaths in 2001 occurred on the same day in 4 different crashes. Discounting those deaths that means in 2002 the number was almost double 2001. But right of the top of my head, I can't name one major accident in 2002. Gene At 03:41 PM 1/20/03, Rob and Edie McArthur wrote: >Hi, >Nothing to do with Genealogy, but for those of us a little bit wary still to travel by plane long distance, I thought these statistics may interest you. Compared to Car Accidents in each country alone, the plane deaths are very small indeed, for the whole world. These numbers appeared in our local rag today. The information comes from London (DPA). > >The number of people killed in airline accidents rose last year for the first time since 1996, according to the figures published by the aviation magazine Flight International. >There were 1022 fatalities in 2002 compared with 778 in 2001, and thre number of airline accidents involving deaths also increased from 33 in 2001 to 40 last year. >Until last year, accident numbers had been declining steadily each year since 1996. >Flight international said the overall trend for the last 6 years still showed gradually improving safety, and the figures for 2002 remained below the annual average for the preceeding decade. > >The areas of the world with good safety records are: Europe, North America and Australiasia all enjoyed reasonably safe years - so there is no cause for alarm in those regions. > >The record has been less good in Taiwan, Russia, Africa and South America. It says it was dissapointing to see South America in the this catergory as in recent years there had been signs of improvement. > >There is more but that more or less says it all. >Edie