Image of ‘Captured Rafale Pilot’ Is From June 2023 IAF Training Sortie Crash in Karnataka

Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan, a photo of a female Indian Air Force pilot is going viral on the internet. Several Pakistani users on social media are claiming that a Rafale jet has been shot down by Pakistan near Kotli and that a female pilot has been captured.

Tactical Tribune shared this photo on X with the caption, “First picture of captured Indian Rafale pilot. Rafale has been shot down by Pakistan over Kotli.”

🔺🇮🇳❌🇵🇰:
First picture of captured Indian Rafale pilot. Rafale has been shot down by Pakistan over Kotli. pic.twitter.com/fs89oSXFiq

— Tactical Tribune (@TacticalTribun) May 10, 2025

Ironclad wrote:“#BREAKING: First image of downed female Indian Rafale pilot in Pakistan.”

#BREAKING: First image of downed female Indian Rafale pilot in Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/ChtRBOv2qL

— Ironclad (@NavCom24) May 10, 2025

RTEurdu claimed, “Pakistan has released the first photo of an Indian Rafale after the pilot was shot down.”

🔴 پاکستان نے ہندوستانی رافیل کی پائلٹ کے گرنے کے بعد پہلی تصویر جاری کی ہے۔ pic.twitter.com/W1Sa3MpqFL

— RTEUrdu (@RTEUrdu) May 10, 2025

Along with this, the X handles Voice of Bangladeshi Muslims and Imran Khan have also shared the photo with the same claim.

Also Read: Old Biogas Plant Protest Video Shared as Sikhs Chanting Against Indian Army in Amritsar

Fact Check

In our investigation of this claim, we conducted a reverse image search of the viral photo. During the search, we found the image published in a report on the Star of Mysore website dated June 1, 2023. According to the report, the photo is from a trainer jet crash in Chamarajanagar, Karnataka.

As per officials, the trainer aircraft had taken off from HAL Airport in Bengaluru in the morning. The aircraft experienced a technical malfunction and subsequently crashed. A female pilot and a male pilot were on board, and both ejected safely.