Airbus 310-300 Crash in Comoros Islands Yields Insurance Insights

A devastating airline crash on June 30 in the Comoros Islands has raised concerns about the safety of the aviation industry, particularly in airlines from countries with a history of safety concerns. The Airbus 310-300, owned by Yemenia and carrying 153 passengers and crew, went down in stormy weather as it approached Hahaya Airport, resulting in a significant loss of life. Guy Carpenter, the broker for the airline's insurance, has confirmed that the airline itself was the insurer, but the estimated insured loss is unknown.

Key Takeaways:

• The Airbus 310-300 was insured by the airline itself, with no other parties involved in the insurance, according to Guy Carpenter.
• The aircraft had been built in 1990 and had been owned by Yemenia since 1999.
• French Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau had stated that Yemenia was being closely monitored by European Union officials due to safety concerns.
• A 2007 inspection of the plane by French authorities had found faults with it.
• The European Commission had examined Yemenia's safety performance in relation to the European Union's blacklist of airlines banned from flying into the EU.
• The crash is not an isolated incident, as an Air France Airbus, Flight 447, had crashed into the Atlantic earlier in June, affecting the aviation insurance market.

Statistics:

• 153 passengers and crew were on board the Airbus 310-300 when it crashed.
• The aircraft was built in 1990 and had been owned by Yemenia since 1999.
• The European Commission had been examining Yemenia's safety performance since July 2008.
• 51% of Yemenia is owned by the government of Yemen, and 49% is owned by the Saudi Arabian government.

Sources:

• Guy Carpenter (insurance broker)
• French Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau (public statement)
• European Commission (public statement)
• Yemenia (airline information)
• Air France (information on Flight 447 crash)
• A. M. Best Company, Inc. (news article)
• COMTEX (news service)