CLAIM
A video of dead bodies that had washed ashore on a beach is being widely shared to claim that it shows bodies of COVID-19 infected patients being dumped in the water.
“Some countries throw #COVID19 infected dead bodies into the seas. Advice to stop eating seafood. The World is really coming to an end. Dear God, please intervene. (sic),” the claim reads.
We also received a query regarding the video on our WhatsApp helpline.
TRUE OR FALSE?
False.
The video is from 2014 when bodies of migrant workers had washed ashore following a shipwreck near a Libyan beach.
WHAT WE FOUND
A reverse image search using a keyframe from the video directed us to several links of the same video which hinted that the video shows African migrants killed while crossing the Mediterranean sea.
Taking cues from there we conducted a Google keywords search using “Migrant bodies washed ashore in Europe” and came across an article published by Euronews.
The report dated 28 August 2014 mentioned, “Amid tragic scenes on a Libyan beach, bodies of would-be migrants were washed ashore. More than 100 have been recovered by the Libyan authorities. They are thought to be from a shipwreck at the sea.”
Hence, a video as old as 2014 is being used to claim that bodies of COVID-19 patients are being dumped in the sea.
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