The European Union added all airlines from Djibouti, the Republic of Congo and Sao Tome et Principe to its airline safety blacklist on Friday, but Yemenia Airways, the official carrier of Yemen, avoided inclusion despite a fatal crash in June.

"The list was extended to include all air carriers certified in Djibouti, Republic of Congo and Sao Tome and Principe because of safety deficiencies identified in the system of oversight by the aviation authorities of these countries," the European Commission said in a statement.

"The efforts deployed by Yemenia to correct the identified safety deficiencies in the various audits are acknowledged," it added.

The Commission reported progress by Angola's TAAG, allowing the carrier to increase the number of aircraft it uses on flights to Portugal. – Reuters