Claim: A video shows a blazing fire and clouds of smoke after a plane crashed at Egypt airport killing 2000 people.
Fact: The claim is false. The video is originally from 2020 and shows a fire that erupted after a crude oil pipeline ruptured in the suburbs of Cairo.
On 22 June 2024, a user on Threads shared a video (archive) with the caption,
انتہائی بری حولناک خوفناک خبر مصر کے ائیرپورٹ پر طیارہ لینڈنگ کے ساتھ ھی آگ کے سمندر میں ۲۰۰۰ افراد کے زندہ جل جانے کا خدشہ
[A sad and terrible news: 2000 people are feared to be burned alive in the sea of fire with the plane landing at the airport in Egypt.]
Fact or Fiction?
Soch Fact Check conducted a reverse image search on the video’s keyframes to investigate the claim. The results led to a news story published by Egyptian media outlet Egypt Today on 15 July 2020. According to the article, titled, “Maintenance works start at Ismailia pipeline after explosion”, 12 people were hospitalised and several were injured after an explosion in the petroleum pipeline at Ismailia Desert Road, near Cairo. A screenshot from the viral video is featured in the article. The article also reported that the incident was caused by a broken pipeline leakage.
Voice of America shared a video similar to the one in the viral post on 16 July 2020. The description of the video, “Gas Pipeline Explodes on Egypt Highway” states that a ruptured crude oil pipeline “set off a huge blaze on a highway in Egypt” on 14 July, injuring 12 people in its wake. Footage of the incident “shows the flames and clouds of dense, black smoke billowing over the desert road near Cairo.” the post added.
The Telegraph, ABC News and Xinhua Net also reported on the fire incident in July 2020, confirming that it took place due to an oil leakage and a spark caused by cars on the busy road.
Moreover, at the 42-second mark of the viral video, Soch Fact Check observed a blue signpost along the road, indicating “Cairo Airport”.
Screengrab from the viral video showing the signpost of “Cairo Airport”
Google Maps shows that Cairo International Airport is situated along the same road where the fire broke out. However, no credible news outlets reported on any recent incident of a plane crash at the Cairo International Airport.
Google Map showing distance from Ismailia Desert road to Cairo Airport
Renowned news agencies, Reuters and Associated Press (AP), also reported on the incident of the pipeline explosion in July 2020.
The report by Reuters confirms that, “A major fire broke out after a leak of oil from the Shuqair-Mostorod pipeline next to a busy highway in a Cairo suburb on Tuesday and 17 people were injured.” It does not mention that the incident was caused by a plane accident or that 2000 people were killed.
Virality
On Facebook, the video was shared with the false claim here, here, here and here.
Conclusion: A post claiming to show a video of a plane-landing accident at an airport in Egypt is false. The video shows an incident from 2020 when a ruptured oil pipeline next to a busy highway in a Cairo suburb leaked and sparked fire.
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