On May 8, Indian broadcaster Zee Rajasthan News aired a photo during live coverage of the India–Pakistan conflict, falsely claiming it showed a Pakistani pilot captured by Indian forces. The image was later found to be unrelated and originates from Turkey.

The false claim was widely circulated on social media and remains viewable on Zee Rajasthan News’ official YouTube channel. However, a reverse image search revealed that the photo was taken in December 2016 in Diyarbakir, Turkey, after a Turkish F-16 jet crashed and the pilot safely ejected. The original image, published by Getty Images, shows Turkish military personnel securing the crash site.

Fact-checkers confirmed the misattribution, labeling the viral image as misinformation. The incident has raised fresh concerns about media accountability and the role of disinformation during high-stakes geopolitical conflicts.

Source: https://www.geo.tv/latest/604567-fact-check-viral-pakistani-pilot-photo-is-actually-from-turkey