False
Fact-Checked
- 09.12.2025
Al Jazeera did not report that two PAF jets collided mid-air; viral screenshot is fake
CLAIM
Al Jazeera news report on two PAF J-10C jets crashing after a mid-air collision near Kamra.
RATING JUSTIFICATION
The iVerify Pakistan team reviewed this content and determined that it is false.
To reach this conclusion, iVerify Pakistan conducted keyword searches, examined the screenshot’s source, analysed the accompanying picture and reviewed aviation-related news reports.
Multiple Indian users and accounts on social media platform X shared a screenshot of an alleged Al Jazeera news report on December 8, 2025, claiming that two Pakistan Air Force (PAF) J-10C fighter jets crashed after a mid-air collision near Kamra during a routine sortie. However, Al Jazeera did not publish any such report, and no such incident occurred.
Earlier, on November 21, 2025, an Indian Tejas fighter jet crashed in a ball of fire in front of horrified spectators during an aerial display at the Dubai Airshow. The pilot was killed.
HOW IT STARTED
On Dec 8, an alleged screenshot of Al Jazeera was posted by a pro-Indian account on X, claiming that two PAF reportedly collided mid-air, with the following caption: “Breaking: Chaos in Pakistan airspace. Two Pakistan Air Force jets reportedly collided mid-air … zero coordination, zero discipline, zero accountability, 100 per cent embarrassment on the world stage.”
The post gained 93,400 views.
Another account posted the claim that the jets were “shot down by Taliban”, adding that “one F-16 and J-10 have been smoked”.
This post gained 24,900 views.
The same screenshot was subsequently shared by numerous pro-Indian accounts on X, as can be seen here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
METHODOLOGY
A fact-check was initiated due to the virality of the claim and keen public interest in the matter.
A keyword search was conducted to corroborate the alleged development and whether Al Jazeera had published any such report. The results, however, did not yield any news story with the title: “Two PAF jets crash after midair collision during routine sortie”.
A search conducted on the website’s archive also did not yield any such report.
Similarly, the alleged crash was also not reported by any credible domestic or international media outlets, nor was such a press release issued by the military or air force.
Instead, iVerify Pakistan found a similar Al Jazeera article, published on January 28, 2023, with the title: “Two Indian military jets crash after apparent midair collision.”
The report covered a collision involving a Sukhoi-30 and a Mirage 2000 in Madhya Pradesh, India.
FACT-CHECK STATUS: FALSE
The claim that an alleged Al Jazeera article reports on the crash of two PAF J-10C fighter jets after a mid-air collision near Kamra during a routine sortie is false.
No such article has been published by the outlet, and no such incident has occurred.
EVIDENCE AND REFERENCES
January 28, 2023, Al Jazeera news report: