Rise in number of plane deaths

The number of deaths in plane disasters increased last year despite there being fewer accidents in total, an international airline industry group said.

The International Air Transport Association said in its annual safety report that 641 people died in airline accidents in 2014. Its figures do not include the 298 people killed when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was downed over Ukraine.

There were 210 deaths in 2013 and the five-year average is 517 deaths.