Over 100 killed in recent airplane crashes

In 2025, there has been a troubling increase in commercial airplane crashes. More than 100 people have died already this year, including a recent incident near Roatan Island, Honduras, that killed 12 people, among them a well-known Honduran musician, Aurelio Martínez. The recent crash is part of a disturbing pattern of aviation incidents this year. Just a month ago, a Delta Connection flight nearly crashed in Toronto, and in January, a midair collision near Washington D.C. took the lives of all 67 people onboard an American Airlines flight and an army helicopter. At the end of last year, a flight in South Korea crashed, resulting in 179 deaths. Experts, including aviation safety professional John Cox, stress that overall air travel remains very safe. He noted that the recent accidents are not linked to a general decline in aviation safety. While more accidents have happened this year, the numbers are still lower compared to previous years in some cases. Research shows that airplane crashes can happen for various reasons, such as mechanical failures, pilot error, bad weather, and even bird strikes. For example, the recent Honduran crash is suspected to be due to mechanical issues. Despite the current incidents, statistics show that air travel remains safer than driving, with an average of just one accident per 1.26 million flights. As the aviation community investigates these accidents, they emphasize the importance of viewing air travel as a safe mode of transportation, despite the distressing reports of recent crashes.