Missing Jet Alone Will Push Up This Year's Airline Death Toll

Airline fatalities fell by almost half in 2013, the result of improved safety by African carriers. One tragic event so far—the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370—has already made it certain that 2014 will surpass last year’s airline fatality total.

Last year brought 210 fatalities from commercial aviation accidents around the world, down from 414 the prior year, according to new figures released by the International Air Transport Association. Since 239 people were aboard Flight 370 when it vanished on March 8, the new year is certain to prove deadlier for airlines. The mystery surrounding the missing plane seems likely to be a major topic of discussion at IATA’s three-day conference in Kuala Lumpur this week.