A viral social media claim alleging a Hajj flight from Mauritania crashed, killing 210 pilgrims, has been debunked by official sources and a thorough fact-check.
The false reports claimed a tragic accident occurred during a flight carrying pilgrims from Mauritania to Saudi Arabia. The posts included alarming images — one of a plane crashing into water and another of a burning aircraft — which helped fuel the misinformation.
Read more: King Salman Orders Hosting of 1,000 Palestinian Pilgrims for Hajj 2025
Authorities in Mauritania swiftly denied these claims. Al-Wali Taha, Director of Hajj Affairs at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, confirmed that “all Mauritanian pilgrims arrived safely in Saudi Arabia and no incidents involving Hajj flights have occurred.” Mauritania Airlines also issued a statement affirming that all pilgrimage flights were completed without any problems and that no accident reports had been received by the airline or government bodies.
Upon closer inspection, the images used to support the false story were found to be outdated and unrelated to Hajj 2025. A reverse image search revealed that:
- The photo of a plane crashing into the sea is over four years old.
- The image of the burning aircraft dates back to 2018 and has been misleadingly used to stir panic.
This proves that the crash story is completely fabricated and part of a broader disinformation effort.
Authorities are urging the public to fact-check emotionally charged and sensitive news before sharing it online. Spreading unverified claims about serious matters like Hajj can cause unnecessary fear and dishonors the memory of actual tragedies.
Verdict: ❌ Fake News
No Mauritanian Hajj flight has crashed in 2025. All pilgrims are safe. The images are old and misused.
