Transport and local government minister Henna Virkkunen hascalled for the risks of aviation sports to be more closely assessed in the wakeof Sunday’s crash in Jämijärvi which killed eight skydiving enthusiasts.

”The Transport Ministry should begin examining the risks ofthese activities under its own initiative,” Virkkunen told Yle Radio Finlandduring a special broadcast in the wake of Sunday’s fatal air disaster.

”Naturally we await the final report of of the Air AccidentBoard’s investigation, but even before then there is good reason to carry outour own risk assessment of aviation sports,” she said.

Virkkunen’s call comes after a string of fatal aviation accidentsin Finland, and the steady growth in the popularity of skydiving and other flying-relatedsports over recent years.

Last year seven people were killed in aviation sport-relatedincidents, and six died the year before that.

”Of the numerous accidents in the last few years, many havebeen associated with light aircraft. As a result licensing regulations havebeen tightened up,” Virkkunen insisted.

Meanwhile Pekka Hentu, aviation director of the Transport Safety Agency,Trafi, described the proportion of light aircraft-related deaths in Finland as ’shocking’,given the small scale of aviation sports in Finland.

”There is a lot of room for improvement in aviation sportsafety,” Henttu told Yle on Monday. He said that regulation of the activitieswill be considered, and said that lessons must be learnt from previousincidents. Possible measures in the future include more stringent requirements regardingthe aircraft, equipment, instructors or training.