A disturbing video circulating online depicts a plane crash onto a highway, with claims that it shows a firefighting aircraft going down amid the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, California. However, this claim is entirely false. The video is not recent and has no connection to the California wildfires. In reality, the footage is from a tragic incident in Chile in January 2024, where a small plane crashed.
Sharing the video on X (Formerly Twitter) @SilentlySirs wrote, “Terrifying Watch the haunting moment firefighting planes crash in the fiery apocalypse of Los Angeles during the relentless California fires.” Later, he deleted the post.
Another account @WarzoneObserver also shared the video and wrote, “The fire plane also caught fire. A plane that was supposed to help fight a fire in Los Angeles, USA, has crashed.”
🔥 The fire plane also caught fire !
— Global Vissions (@GlobalVissions) January 11, 2025
A plane that was supposed to help fight a fire in Los Angeles, USA, has crashed. pic.twitter.com/8gM33HPUoE
Several other users, influencers and propagandists have also shared the video and made similar claims. Their posts can be seen here, @HaidarHashmi0, @rahim_sekander, @Lailafatimeh, @MOHAMMA47949502.
The truth about the viral video of plane crash, Fact Check
As soon as the posts containing the disturbing video and claims came to our notice. Subsequently, we conducted research and analysis of the video. We found that the video was not from California, but an old incident from Chile.
To verify the claims made by the users. We performed a reverse image search of some key frames from the viral video using Google Lens. This led us to media reports containing the same visuals. According to the media reports (1, 2), this is old footage from an incident that occurred in Chile in January 2024, where a small plane tragically crashed. Hence, the video in question is not recent and has no connection to the ongoing California fires.
Additionally, we also found an official statement of CONAF stating that “The National Forestry Corporation (CONAF) regrets to inform that today, January 15, 2024, at approximately 4:30 p.m., an airplane accident occurred in the commune of Talca, during fire control work. As a result of this unfortunate event, the death of Mr. Fernando Solans, of Spanish nationality, pilot of the Turbo Trush model aircraft, operated by the airline Air Andes SPA, which provides services to CONAF, is confirmed. Three people were also injured in the incident.”
Therefore, it is evident from verified sources that the video of the small plane was not from California, but an old incident from Chile.
2833
— D-Intent Data (@dintentdata) January 11, 2025
ANALYSIS: Misleading
FACT: A distressing video showing a plane crashing onto a highway is being shared online, accompanied by claims that it depicts a firefighting aircraft crashing amidst the fiery apocalypse caused by the relentless wildfires in Los Angeles. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/X1ftFAaT9R
Intent
Influencers are circulating old videos with misleading claims to get the spotlight on social media.
Conclusion
Claim– The video shows a firefighting aircraft crashing amid the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, California.
Fact– This is an old video from Chile where a small plane crashed in January 2024.
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