Sir: According to media news, 153 people lost their lives in the Nigerian Dana airline airplane crash near the Nigerian capital Lagos. It was the fourth airplane crash of this year. In the Nigerian airplane tragedy, the pilot was trying to land in bad weather in a populated area but lost control; nearly 63 people on the ground also lost their lives. Initial investigation revealed that the airplane had a technical problem that was known to the management of the airline. Just a few months ago, 129 people lost their lives in another incident when a Bhoja Air airplane crashed near Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad. Bad weather and the condition of the airplane were considered the main causes of the disaster. Pakistan’s Airblue airplane also crashed on the same route two years ago, killing all 129 people on board; here too, bad weather and human error were the main culprits. In another aviation tragedy this year, a Russian Sukhoi airplane that was on a demonstration flight to Indonesia crashed after just one-hour journey and 45 people lost their lives in this tragedy. Another plane crash in Nepal, gutting 30 lives. According to aviation experts, due to growing competition in the airline industry, airline companies in poor and third world countries are ignoring safety standards. Most of the airplanes have already crossed their age limits and cannot compete with bad weather and hard conditions. Corrupt officials of the aviation industry in poor countries have also closed their eyes to safety standards and are issuing licences without any prior investigation. KHAWAJA UMER FAROOQ Jeddah, Saudi Arabia