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.
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.
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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