Managing Director of Bristow Helicopters, Captain Akin Oni has said that Africa  has the worst safety record and 75 per cent of air accidents are caused by flight crew.

Oni, however, noted that the safety standard in Nigeria has improved over the years adding that more  is still needed to be done to enhance safety of passengers as well as pilots and flight crew.

He  affirmed that most of the air mishap that bedevilled the Aviation industry in the past were caused by flight crew, stressing that the element of human factor was always connected to all the accidents that took place in the past.

“About 75 per cent of air accident is caused by flight crew, while the airplane can take eight per cent, maintenance – five per cent, weather – three per cent, airport facilities/ATC – two per cent, others – seven per cent. The flight crew-induced accident must be addressed,” Oni stressed.

The MD of Bristow Helicopters further noted that for safety to be improved tremendously in Africa, Africa needs to take a cue from  European countries in identifying the key safety challenges.

“The developed world like  Europe, have been able to identify the key safety challenges like the UK CAA did. The Significant Seven-CAA paper 20011/03-Safety regulations website, they did Gore Commission-CAST, to reduce fatal accident by 80 per cent in 2007 and other numerous safety devices that they have put in place,” he added.

Captain Oni, however, believed that Africa was facing numerous safety challenges due to poor infrastructure at their various airports, inadequate funding, bad policy formulation, corruption, lack of legal structure for continued safe operation amongst others.

He, therefore, urged the government in Nigeria as well as those in other countries in Africa to brace up to the task in ensuring a safe aviation industry that is devoid of air accident. Captain Oni further commended the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority {NCAA} for enforcing its safety regulations noting that it was the enforcement of such regulations that has kept the industry safe over the years.