The number of deaths from air accidents linked to the European Union rose in 2025, reaching 116 people compared to 91 in 2024. According to data from Eurostat, the European Union's statistical office, this increase is largely due to accidents involving private, business, and general aviation, which accounted for the vast majority of the fatalities. Commercial flights, which carry the public in scheduled operations, saw only four deaths, or about 3.4% of the total. Eurostat’s figures focus on accidents involving aircraft registered in the EU, regardless of where they occurred. This means the data does not cover all accidents involving European operators worldwide or only commercial flights. The statistics also highlight that a few major accidents can significantly influence annual totals. For instance, a single catastrophic event with many fatalities can skew the numbers, even if overall safety has not declined. In 2025, 94% of the 116 deaths were from non-commercial aviation, which includes private flights, training, and aerial work like agricultural spraying or photography. Only four deaths were from commercial aviation. This pattern shows a key distinction in air safety: while commercial flights are tightly regulated and generally very safe, other forms of aviation—such as leisure flights or business operations—have different risk profiles and are less structured in their operations. France had the highest number of fatalities from non-commercial aviation in the EU in 2025, with 28 deaths. This includes accidents involving private pilots, aeroclubs, and business flights. However, this does not necessarily indicate lower safety in France. The country has a large and active aviation sector, including many flight schools, aerodromes, and helicopter operations. To fully understand the statistics, it would be necessary to consider the number of flight hours and the size of the fleet, which are not included in the initial summary. Among the most severe accidents in 2025 was the crash of a Dassault Falcon 50 near Ankara, Turkey, which killed eight people, including the head of the Libyan army. The plane was registered in Malta and carrying an official Libyan delegation. Despite the increase in deaths, the European Aviation Safety Agency, EASA, continues to emphasize that regular air transport remains one of the safest forms of travel in the world. EASA’s latest report noted that in 2024, three fatal accidents occurred across Europe’s commercial aviation sector, resulting in three deaths, while over 7.7 million flights were operated. The agency stresses the importance of vigilance on both traditional safety factors and new challenges like drone integration and cybersecurity.