2020 Karachi plane crash video shared as a recent incident of a passenger plane being shot down by the Pakistan Air Force

The viral video depicts Pakistan International Airlines flight PK8303 crash near Karachi due to human error and it dates back to May 2020

India-Pakistan diplomatic relations have been strained following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam. Reports suggest that both countries are moving towards retaliatory measures. Meanwhile, a video of thick smoke rising from a residential area is going viral with the claim that a passenger plane was shot down by the Pakistan Air Force. The caption states, “A passenger plane shot down by @DGPR_PAF near Karachi airport. Plane hit residential area, almost 100 people were onboard”.

Let’s check the truth.

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Fact Check- 

We started our investigation by running a reverse image search on the same. The results led us to a similar video uploaded on YouTube by the channel LatestLY on 22 May 2020. The caption reads, “Pakistan International Airlines Plane Crashes Near Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport.” 

The description part states,” a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight PK-8303 from Lahore crashed near Model Colony, Malir, in Karachi while attempting to land. Geo News reported that the Airbus A320 was carrying 97 people, including 85 passengers and 12 crew members”. This makes it clear that the viral video is not recent.

According to the media reports, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight PK-8303 from Lahore crashed while attempting to land near Model Colony, Malir in Karachi. The Airbus A320 had 97 people on board, including 85 passengers and 12 crew members.

As per the  Independent report, in May 2020, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight PK8303 crashed while approaching for landing near Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, killing more than 97 people. The plane crashed into a densely populated area called Model Colony, damaging homes and vehicles. The pilot had reported technical problems, including engine failure and landing gear problems. 

Moving forward, we found a report mentioning that four years after the incident, the final report was released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board in 2024. According to it, the crash was caused by “human error” due to a lack of coordination between the pilots of flight PK-8303 and the air traffic controller.

Taking account of all these evidences, we can understand that, an old video of a 2020 plane crash in Karachi falsely shared as a passenger plane was recently shot down by the Pakistan Air Force following the Pahalgam terrorist attack.

Conclusion-Fact Crescendo found the claim made along with the viral video to be False. The viral video depicts Pakistan International Airlines flight PK8303 crash near Karachi due to human error and it dates back to May 2020.