MAN-MADE DISASTERS
A series of explosions on August 12, 2015, in the Chinese port city of Tianjin killed 173 people and caused between $2.5 and $3.5 billion in insured losses, according to Swiss Re. It was the largest insured-loss event of the year and largest man-made loss event ever in Asia. On August 5, 2015, a team of Environmental Protection Agency contractors investigating leaks from an abandoned gold mine accidentally sent a spill ofthree million gallons of toxic slurry into the Animas River, threatening communities in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and the Navajo Nation that draw water from the river and its tributaries. The contaminated sludge that accumulated from almost a century in the tunnels of the mine spilled at a rate of 740 gallons a minute into a creek that feeds the Animas River. The sludge contains lead, arsenic, mercury, copper, cadmium and other heavy metals. The ecological impact of the pollution is yet to be determined, although the San Juan has been designated as a critical habitat for two species of fish and tourism is important to the local economy. Drinking water remains available in the region because utilities closed their intake gates, but farmers and local residents no longer have safe water for crops, wells and livestock.
In 2015, 353 catastrophic events occurred, 198 natural catastrophes and 155 man-made disasters, according to Swiss Re. Natural catastrophes caused $28 billion in insured losses in 2015, while man-made disasters resulted in additional losses of about $9 billion. Major man-made catastrophes in 2015 included maritime, aviation and rail disasters, fires and explosions, and terrorism and social unrest. Explosions on August 12 in the Chinese port city of Tianjin comprised the largest man-made catastrophe in 2015. (The September 11 terrorist attack in the U.S. was the costliest man-made disaster in history, based on Swiss Re data going back to 1970. It caused $25.1 billion in insured losses (in 2015 dollars).
TRANSPORTATION ACCIDENTS
There were 59 catastrophic disasters attributed to transportation incidents in 2015 according to Swiss Re, including 31 maritime disasters, 16 aviation disasters and 12 rail disasters. These events resulted in 3,313 deaths worldwide. Aviation disasters caused $1 billion in insured losses, while maritime disasters caused another $1.7 billion in insured losses. Losses for rail disasters resulted in another $200 million in insured losses. See Swiss Re chart on Man-Made Disasters below for further information.WORLD AVIATION ACCIDENTS
In 2013, 744 million people flew on commercial airlines in the United States, compared with 739 million in 2012 and 734 million in 2011. The Federal Aviation Administration projects that more than 1 billion people will fly on scheduled commercial airlines in the United States annually by 2028.In 2014 more than 3.3 billion people flew safely on 38.0 million global flights, according to the International Air Transport Association. The global accident rate (as measured by the rate of hull losses on western- built jets) was 0.23 in 2014, or about one accident for every 4.4 million flights and the lowest rate in history. The 2013 accident rate was 0.41. (A hull loss is an accident in which the aircraft is destroyed or substantially damaged and is not subsequently repaired.) There were 73 accidents in 2014 (on eastern- and western-built aircraft), down from 81 in 2013. A Malaysia Airlines jet shot down on July 17, 2014, over Ukraine became the seventh deadliest crash in history, with 298 fatalities. This crash is not counted in the accident statistics. Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 en route to Beijing disappeared on March 8, 2014 with 239 on board. For further information see the International Air Transport Association.
The deadliest world aviation accident was the collision of two Boeing 747 passenger planes on the runway of an airport in the Spanish island of Tenerife in 1977. The crash resulted in the deaths of 583 out of 644 passengers according to the Geneva-based Aircraft Crashes Record Office’s list of Worst Aviation Accidents.
UNITED STATES
In the United States the National Transportation Safety Board compiles data on aviation flight hours, accidents and fatalities for commercial and general aviation.Commercial airlines are divided into two categories according to the type of aircraft used: aircraft with 10 or more seats and aircraft with fewer than 10 seats. The nonscheduled commercial aircraft with more than 10 seats are also called charter airlines. Commercial airlines flying aircraft with fewer than 10 seats include commuter (scheduled) airlines, and on-demand air taxis. General aviation includes all U.S. noncommercial or privately owned aircraft.
In 2013, 744 million people flew on commercial airlines in the United States, compared with 739 million in 2012 and 734 million in 2011. The Federal Aviation Administration projects that more than 1 billion people will fly on scheduled commercial airlines in the United States annually by 2028.
Aircraft Accidents In The United States, 2015 (1)
(1) Preliminary data. Totals do not add because of collisions involving aircraft in different categories.
(2) Includes nonpassenger deaths. NA=Data not available. Source: National Transportation Safety Board. |
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MARINE ACCIDENTS
Marine accidents killed 2,487 people and caused $1.7 billion in insured losses in 2015. In 2015, three maritime disasters made the top ten disasters of 2015 in terms of victims. In April, two boats carrying migrants capsized, one in Libya resulting in 822 deaths and one in Italy causing 400 deaths. In addition, in June a cruise ship hit by strong winds and rains capsized on the Yangtze River in China and 442 people perished. In 2012, 30 people were killed when the Costa Concordia cruise ship carrying 4,200 passengers went aground off the coast of Italy. The Costa Concordia incident was the costliest man-made disaster in 2012, causing $515 million in insured damages losses when it occurred. By mid-2014, insured losses for the disaster had risen to about $2 billion. The greatest maritime disaster in peacetime happened in December 1987, when the Philippine ferry, the Doa Paz, collided with the Vector, a small coastal oil tanker, according to the National Maritime Museum in the United Kingdom. Only 24 of the 4,317 Doa passengers survived. By contrast, 1,500 perished in the sinking of the Titanic in 1912.MARINE DISASTERS, 2015 (1)
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