Last year saw 156 air crashes, the lowest number in the past 43 years, a Geneva-based monitoring agency said on Tuesday.

 

In a statement, the Aircraft Crashes Record Office said last year's total of air crashes worldwide was 22 fewer than that of 2005, and was the lowest level since 1963.

 

It added that the death toll of plane crashes was 1,292 in 2006, 11 percent lower than in the previous year.

 

According to the agency, North America saw the most crashes last year, accounting for 32 percent of the total, followed by Africa with 18 percent and Asia with 17 percent.

 

The deadliest accident happened on Aug. 22, when a Tupolev-154 crashed in Ukraine, killing 170 people.

 

The agency only monitored planes capable of carrying at least six people.

 

It said most air crashes last year involved smaller, propeller- powered planes, although large numbers of deaths are usually caused by large, jet-powered plane crashes.

 

(Xinhua News Agency January 4, 2007)