IATA warns only half of air accident probes yield public final reports

Only about half of aviation accidents investigated under international rules result in a published final report, according to Mark Searle, IATA’s global director of safety. Speaking to Reuters at the International Aviation Safety Summit in Montreal on 12 November, Searle said publication rates had shown little improvement, limiting the industry’s ability to learn from accidents and act on safety recommendations. 

Under ICAO’s Annex 13 framework, investigators should publish a final report as soon as possible and, if possible, within 12 months. If the report is still pending, the investigating authority should publish an interim statement on each anniversary of the accident, outlining progress and any safety issues identified. The purpose of the investigation is to prevent future accidents.

A joint industry paper published in February 2025 gives a historical benchmark. IATA data showed that investigations had been completed for 140 of the 268 accidents recorded from 2018 to 2023, or 52%, as of 30 June 2024. Hassan Shahidi, president of the Flight Safety Foundation, told Reuters that investigating agencies often cite shortages of suitably qualified staff.

Reuters cited two high-profile cases still awaiting final reports as of 12 November: the June 2025 crash of an Air India Boeing 787 shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, which killed 260 people, and the 2022 China Eastern Airlines crash.

Sources: Reuters, Joint industry position paper, IATA