Hainan Airlines ranked as world's 5th safest

China's Hainan Airlines was among the world's top five safest airlines in 2011 for having had no death or aircraft losses in its 19 years of service, the German aviation accident investigation agency JACDEC (Jet Airliner Crash Data Evaluation Centre) said in a recent annual report.

The Hamburg-based agency, which has tracked the world's airlines accidents since 1973 and enjoyed a global reputation, published its latest "Aviation Safety Ranking" in German monthly magazine "Aero International."

Based on its global network and database, the JACDEC rated 60 largest carriers from every continent in terms of casualties and aircraft losses. It said 2011 was the safest year of civil aviation since the end of Second World War, even with more aircrafts flying in the air.

China's Hainan Airlines ranked the fifth safest airline with a safety rate of 0.006, following All Nippon Airways, Finnair, the Etihad Airways, and Cathay Pacific Airways.

Founded in 1933, Hainan Airlines began its first international route in 2001 and soon extended its service to major cities in Europe, Africa, Asia and North America with some 400 routes.

In December last year, Hainan Airlines was named for the second time as "the Best Airline in China" in the GT Tested Reader Survey Awards, organized by the U.S. magazine Global Traveler.