A photo recently circulated on social media claiming to show a Pakistani pilot captured during a recent conflict with India has been proven false. The image in question actually originates from Turkey and has no ties to any India-Pakistan confrontation.
The viral image was shared widely online, falsely portraying it as evidence of a Pakistani pilot in Indian custody. However, a reverse image search and keyword analysis confirm that the photograph is from December 2016, taken after a Turkish fighter jet crashed in southeastern Turkey. The pilot had ejected safely, and Turkish military personnel were photographed at the crash site.
The original image, available through Getty Images, is captioned: “Turkish military personnel arrive near a Turkish F-16 warplane which crashed in Diyarbakir on December 12, 2016. A Turkish fighter jet crashed near an airport in the southeastern city of Diyarbakir, the military said, but the pilot was able to safely eject from the plane.”
Verdict:
The photo being circulated as evidence of a Pakistani pilot’s capture is misattributed. It actually shows the aftermath of a Turkish F-16 crash in 2016, and is unrelated to any current regional conflict.
