Picture shows 2024 plane crash not Indian jet downed by Pakistan

A picture which is being shared alongside claims that Pakistan has downed Indian fighter jets is unrelated to the unfolding conflict between the two countries.

The low quality image of a burning plane has been shared on Facebook with the caption: “BREAKING: Pakistan has shot down 2 Indian planes one of them is Rafael planes [sic] of the Indian Air Force.”

The photo has also been shared on X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube, with captions implying that it shows Indian planes downed by Pakistan.

It comes as India launched missile strikes on Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, beginning early on Wednesday 7 May. The Indian defence ministry said the strikes were part of a “commitment” to hold those responsible “accountable” for an attack which took place at a popular beauty spot in Indian-administered Kashmir on 22 April and left 25 Indians and one Nepali national dead. Pakistan has denied any involvement in last month’s attack.

Pakistan has claimed to have shot down five Indian fighter jets, including French-made Rafales, and a drone, although India has not responded to this claim. Reuters reported local government sources as saying three fighter jets had crashed in Indian territory on Wednesday.

But the photo being shared with claims it depicts two Indian fighter planes shot down by Pakistan is unrelated to this most recent conflict.

A reverse image search shows the same picture was used in a report by an Indian news site about a jet crash in September 2024, where an Indian Air Force MiG-29 fighter jet crashed in Barmer, in Rajasthan in the north west of the country.

That image is a still from a video, which was posted to X on 2 September 2024 by Indian news agency IANS with the caption: “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.”

This information was also publicly shared on X by the Indian Air Force on the same date.

Misinformation can spread quickly online during unfolding global events, especially in times of conflict, so it’s important to consider whether what you are seeing is verifiable and comes from a trusted source before sharing on social media. Our guides to spotting misleading images and videos can help you do this.