Images Claiming To Show Israeli Jet Being Downed and Female Pilot Captured by Iran Are Unrelated

Several social media users are circulating an image, claiming it shows an Israeli F-16 fighter jet downed in Tehran, Iran, while others are sharing a purported photo of its woman pilot, “Sarah Ahronot”, who was allegedly captured. The posts have gone viral following reports from Iranian state media that Tehran has shot down two Israeli fighter jets and captured a woman pilot, which were denied by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), even as tensions between Iran and Israel escalated early on Saturday amid several waves of airstrikes against each other.

The archived versions of the posts can be seen here and here.

Iran-Israel Conflict Escalates

After a night of escalating tensions in the Middle East, Iran has reportedly launched fresh attacks under ‘Operation True Promise 3’ in retaliation to Israel’s ‘Operation Rising Lion,’ with air raid sirens sounding in northern Israel with explosions heard over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv early on Saturday. Iran launched a wave of retaliatory attacks after Israel killed scores of people and injured hundreds in a surprise attack on Friday morning that it claimed was aimed at preventing its arch enemy from developing a nuclear weapon.

Fact Check

Newschecker first ran a keyword search for “Sarah Ahronot Israeli pilot captured,” which did not lead us to any credible news reports about such an incident.

Image 1

Newschecker ran a reverse image search, which led us to multiple news reports from November 2015, seen here, here, here, here and here, sharing an unedited version of the viral image and stating that Turkey downed a Russian fighter jet that “violated its airspace” close to the Syrian border. 

A comparison of the viral image (right) with the 2015 photo (left) shows that the shape and pattern of the jet’s contrails, along with the plane’s tail, were the same in both pictures. Also, we ran the viral image past Fake Image Detector, which indicated that it was modified.

“Turkey shot down a Russian warplane near the Syrian border yesterday, saying the jet had repeatedly violated its air space, in one of the most serious publicly acknowledged clashes between a Nato member country and Russia for half a century. Russian President Vladimir Putin said the plane had been attacked when it was 1 km inside Syria…,” read a Daily Star report, dated November 15, 2015, further confirming that the viral image is not related to the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict.

Image 2

Newschecker ran a reverse image search, which led us to this report by aviation news platform, Aeroflap, dated December 30, 2021, stating that the Chilean Navy trained its first woman pilot. “Lieutenant Daniela Figueroa with an Embraer EMB-111 Flag of the Chilean Navy,” read the caption of the photo.

“On October 14, the Navy from Chile formed its first mixed group of Naval Aviators. The opportunity marked the first time that a woman became a Naval Aviator in the country, with the graduation of Lieutenant Daniela Figueroa Scholz, able to fly the Pilatus PC-7 turboprop,” read the report. A similar report can be seen here, dated December 23, 2021, which credited the photo to the Chilean Navy.

We can also clearly see the name “Figueroa” written on her uniform while her badge stated, “Daniela Figueroa Scholz; Teniente Segundo; Armada De Chile”, which is Spanish for “Daniela Figueroa Scholz; Second Lieutenant; Chilean Navy”.

Also Read: Old Video Of Tech Snag Onboard Algerian Flight Falsely Linked To Ahmedabad Plane Crash

Conclusion

Viral images claiming to show the Israeli woman pilot who was captured after her jet was downed by Tehran were found to be old and unrelated.

Source
USA Today report, November 24, 2015
The Daily Star report, November 15, 2015
Aeroflap report, December 30, 2021