Five SEAsian nations agree to share aviation safety data

Singapore: Five Southeast Asian nations said on Thursday they had agreed to share aviation data and information among themselves, including reports of...

Singapore: Five Southeast Asian nations said on Thursday they had agreed to share aviation data and information among themselves, including reports of severe turbulence, to help make air travel safer.

Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday, aiming to launch the plan by the end of the year, their civil aviation authorities said in a joint statement.

The agreement comes as air travel recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic, which hammered tourism in the region.

The initiative was mooted last year but it took time for the countries to agree on what to share and the draw up protocols that will govern data confidentiality.

"In a first-of-its kind initiative in the Asia-Pacific, the five States will collaborate and share de-identified safety data and safety information to identify safety hazards and trends and develop mitigating measures to better manage safety risks," the joint statement said.