Old Visual Viral as Pakistan Striking Down Indian Plane Amid Operation Sindoor

This is an old video from 2024 and shows the Air Force's MiG-29 plane crash in Barmer.

Fact-Check: This visual os from 2024 and not linked to the recent operation conducted by India.

(Source: The Quint) 

A visual showing an aircraft in flames is being shared on social media platforms to claim that it depicts Pakistan shooting down an Indian aircraft, following the Indian Army's 'Operation Sindoor', in which it attacked nine 'terrorist camps' in Pakistan on 7 May.

We also found several news websites publishing this visual as recent and linked to this operation. You can view some of these links here and here.

An archive of the post can be found here. 

(Source: Instagram/Screenshot) 

(Archives of similar claims can be found here and here.)

Is the claim true?: No, the claim is false as this visual is not recent.

• The visual shows the crash of a MiG-29 fighter jet in Rajasthan's Barmer in September 2024.

What we found: We ran a Google reverse image on the visual and found several news reports from September 2024 about this visual.

• A report by the Hindustan Times from 2 September 2024 noted that the visual showed India Air Force's MiG-29 fighter jet crash near Rajasthan's Barmer.

Here is the preview of the report.

(Source: HT/Screenshot)

• It said that the pilot of the aircraft was safe and there was no loss to any life or property.

• Similarly, India TV and Dainik Bhaskar also reported on this incident in 2024. Both these reports have carried the same viral visual.

• India TV noted the MiG-29 took off from the landing zone but crashed due to a technical failure. Luckily, the pilot ejected safely, but the aircraft was completely destroyed.

• Additionally, news publication such as RT news also published a report about this crash in Barmer.

• We also came across a post on X by the IAF about this crash in 2024. It noted, "During a routine night training mission in Barmer sector, an IAF MiG-29 encountered a critical technical snag, forcing the pilot to eject. The pilot is safe and no loss of life or property was reported. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered." (sic.)

Conclusion: This is an old visual from 2024 and has been falsely linked to Operation Sindoor conducted by the armed forces in India.

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