On social media platform X (formerly Twitter), an image showing a fighter jet engulfed in fire has recently surfaced with the news alleging that a Tejas aircraft of Indian Air Force has crashed in Surat, Gujarat. News has been shared by many handles including a pak-based handle.

Ironclad, the Pak-based account, known spreading misinformation regarding India, has posted an image and wrote: “#BREAKING: Massive News. It is now confirmed that a Tejas aircraft of Indian Air Force has crashed in Surat, Gujarat. All mobile networks are jammed near the crash site to avoid video evidence.

Apart from this, numerous users has shared this image with the same news.

Fact-Check

Initiating our process, the DFRAC team did a keyword search relating to the above viral news. Contrary to this news, we found that the news of the Tejas Fighter Jet making an emergency landing at Surat Airport on Tuesday due to low fuel is currently hitting the headlines in the mainstream media. Media outlets such as Jagran, NDTV, ETVBharat and TOI reported this news.

Furthermore, the reports stated that the pilot of the indigenous aircraft contacted the Air Traffic Control (ATC) and requested for an emergency landing due to low fuel, said airport director SC Bhalse.

For further investigation, a reverse-search of image employed with above viral news led us to some reports (Defence.in & India Today) from May 2024, carrying a video similar to the shared image. As per reports, a training aircraft crashed into a river in Bangladesh’s Chattogram. One of the Pilot sustained to injuries, while the two managed to eject from the jet and save their lives.

Conclusion

It is evident from DFRAC’s fact-check that the viral news claiming Tejas aircraft of Indian Air Force has crashed in Surat, Gujarat is misleading. In reality, Tejas Fighter Jet made an emergency landing at surat Airport due to low fuel.

Analysis: Misleading