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.”
Ironclad wrote:“#BREAKING: First image of downed female Indian Rafale pilot in Pakistan.”
RTEurdu claimed, “Pakistan has released the first photo of an Indian Rafale after the pilot was shot down.”
Along with this, the X handles Voice of Bangladeshi Muslims and Imran Khan have also shared the photo with the same claim.
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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.
| Claim | First picture of captured Indian Rafale pilot. Rafale has been shot down by Pakistan over Kotli. |
| Claimed by | Tactical Tribune, Ironclad and others |
| Fact Check | The image is from a June 2023 IAF training aircraft crash in Karnataka during a routine sortie; two pilots suffered minor injuries. |
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