UNITED NATIONS, April 14. /TASS/. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a special UN agency responsible for overseeing international aviation, has launched a new website issuing warnings about risks to aircraft in conflict zones, a spokesman for the UN chief has said.
The recommendations for creating such a database were made by member-states at ICAO’s 2015 High-Level Safety Conference in Montreal, Canada, in February.
"The new repository is accessible via ICAO’s public website homepage for representatives from States, airlines and the general public," Stephane Dujarric said. "As it becomes populated with submissions, it will provide up-to-date information on potential risks to civil aviation arising from armed conflict," he said.
Only authorized state officials will be able to submit risk information under the procedures agreed to by the ICAO Council, he said. "In all cases, the identity of the State submitting information to the repository will be clearly indicated, and States being referenced in a risk submission will also have the opportunity to review and approve the related information prior to public posting."
ICAO has been seeking to improve security measures following the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 in March 2014 and the crash of the Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 in eastern Ukraine in July last year. These incidents were the focus of the conference in Montreal.
The Montreal meeting also agreed to approve a new standard for flight-tracking, in accordance with which pilots are to identify the position of an aircraft every 15 minutes.
The new rules could enter into force already this autumn.