Aviation accidents drop to lowest in 10 years

The number of aviation accidents in the Czech Republic fell to its lowest in 10 years in 2012, according to information released by the country’s Air Accidents Investigation Institute. According to the organization, the country saw 50 aviation accidents last year; there was, however, no significant drop in the number of fatalities – 13, just one fewer than the previous year. Eight people died in plane crashes, two in a helicopter crash, and three in parachute jumps. The head of the Air Accidents Investigation Institute, Pavel Štrůbl, suggested that nevertheless the generally low number of fatalities could be considered a success. He explained at a seminar on Thursday that since the 1990s the number of small sports planes and ultra-light planes in the country, considered the highest-risk, had gone up ten times, while the number of fatalities had gone up four.