(eTN) – A source close to the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority has confirmed that the recently-ended year of 2011 saw less civil air accidents in spite of more flying being recorded compared to the year 2010.

Last year, only 12 air accidents were recorded in Tanzania, compared with 13 a year earlier, and only one fatal accident among them, although two aircraft were completely destroyed as a result of their respective crashes. In 2010, air accidents caused 2 fatalities and left 10 more with serious injuries, while a total of 4 aircraft had to be written off.

The improvement in these statistics is according to the source attributed to closer oversight, more intense training, and adherence to airworthiness directives and maintenance requirements. Flying in Tanzania, for tourists in particular, is of growing importance to cover the often vast distances from one game park to the next, while Tanzanians themselves also depend on scheduled and charter flights to go about their business when they have to travel to the commercial capital Dar es Salaam, the capital Dodoma, or other key towns across this sprawling East African country.

Good news that flying in Tanzania got safer and an incentive that is for more and more people taking to the air.