Fact check: Old image of IAF chopper crash circulated with false claim [truth here]

Following the destruction of two important bases of the terrorist group Jaish al-Adl in Pakistan by Iran's missile attack, a wave of ISPR-funded propaganda is taking aim at India. A series of posts, now viral on social media, have made serious claims of an IAF chopper crash near Mathura, carrying the Commander of Western Air Command of IAF, Air Marshal Pankaj Mohan Sinha. Here's a fact check debunking those claims.

The claim

A photo of a crashed helicopter in an unidentified location has been shared, with a claim that the Indian Air Force's Mi-17V5 crashed near Mathura. The posts, mostly originating from Pakistani local media channels, further claim that the said chopper was carrying Commander of Western Air Command of the IAF, Air Marshal Pankaj Mohan Sinha.

Adding to the seriousness of such a major incident, claims are made that the condition of the Air Marshal remained unknown and that internet services had been suspended in the region due to the incident.

Many social media handles on X, including the World Times, The Intel Consortium, and The Pakistan Telegraph, circulated the image of a crashed IAF chopper with the aforementioned claim. Those tweets garnered thousands of views, triggering panic. Many verified and unverified handles, including those of some local journalists from Pakistan, shared the news of the IAF chopper crash on X.

Fact check

International Business Times reviewed the claims made on X about the IAF chopper crash carrying Air Marshal Pankaj Mohan Sinha. Upon deeper analysis, it became clear that the news was false and that it was ISPR-funded propaganda.

A simple search on X for Air Marshal Pankaj Mohan Sinha displays many results, all of which are related to the IAF chopper crash. But upon closer inspection, it appears the claim originates from Pakistan. No global media outlet has reported on the issue, nor has any Indian news channel.

Upon further investigation, it appears that no such helicopter accident occurred. In fact, a reverse search of the viral image takes us back to a November 2021 incident, wherein an MI-17 helicopter of the Indian Air Force crashed during landing at Rochham Helipad in Arunachal Pradesh.

According to an ET article from November 18, 2021, when the incident had taken place, two pilots, one engineer, and two crew members were onboard the helicopter and all of them were reported to be safe.

With this, it becomes clear that Pakistan, through this false propaganda, is trying to divert attention from the ongoing Iranian strikes against the terrorist group Jaish al-Adl in Pakistan.

Hence, IBTimes has arrived at the conclusion that the viral image in circulation is an old one and the claim about an IAF chopper crash carrying Commander of Western Air Command of the IAF, Air Marshal Pankaj Mohan Sinha, is entirely baseless.