The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has called on “States, Aircraft Operators and other stakeholders to enhance support for air crash victims and their families.”
On the occasion of the International Day Commemorating Air Crash Victims and their Families usually marked February 20, 2025, the ICAO Council President Salvatore Sciacchitano said: “Recent tragic events in our skies serve as stark reminders that, despite aviation’s remarkable safety record, each accident represents not just a statistic, but profound human loss. Every life lost is a story unfinished, a family forever changed. This solemn reality reinforces our responsibility to ensure no family suffers in isolation.”
The Council President noted that: “For nearly five decades, since the introduction of provisions in Annex 13 in 1976, ICAO has progressively developed comprehensive frameworks for victim assistance. While we have established robust standards, policies, and detailed guidance for States, our recent audits reveal that only 5% of Member States have fully implemented comprehensive victim support systems. This gap between standards and implementation must be addressed with urgency.”
Mr. Sciacchitano notes that the aftermath of an aviation accident extends far beyond the crash site. He stated that “Families need not just immediate crisis response, but sustained support, clear communication, and access to information throughout investigation processes.”
ICAO says a crucial aspect of its “progress has been the decision to develop a dedicated implementation package (iPack) relating to Assistance to Aircraft Accident Victims and Families (AAAVF).” Through this initiative, ICAO “will be advancing capacity-building projects and providing targeted assistance to States in developing their support mechanisms.”
The President called on “all States to strengthen their commitment to comprehensive victim assistance frameworks. This includes ratification of the Montreal Convention 1999 to ensure harmonized liability rules and compensation mechanisms worldwide. States must implement robust family assistance plans under Annexes 9 and 13, while ensuring strict adherence to investigation timelines and transparency requirements under Annex 13.” He stated that “the timely release of investigation reports and maintaining clear communication channels with families throughout the process are not optional courtesies – they are fundamental obligations.”
President Sciacchitano said: “The establishment of 20 February as the International Day Commemorating Air Crash Victims and Their Families by ICAO, with the support of the Air Crash Victims’ Families’ Federation International (ACVFFI), demonstrates the importance of memorial initiatives and public remembrance programmes.”
He further reiterated that the day “serve not only to honor the memory of those lost but also to reinforce our collective commitment to preventing future tragedies.”
