A concerning news has been spreading across social media platforms, claiming a tragic plane crash involving Mauritanian Hajj pilgrims near the Red Sea. This viral story, which alleged the deaths of over 200 pilgrims, has caused unnecessary anxiety among communities.
Social Media Posts
A viral claim has been spreading widely on social media stating that a Mauritanian Hajj pilgrims’ plane crashed on the shores of the Red Sea while en route to holy Mecca, allegedly killing more than 200 pilgrims. The claim includes images of a destroyed aircraft.
Fact-Check
Upon our investigation, we found that official sources from Mauritania have denied the incident.
El Waly Taha, Director of Hajj at Mauritania’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs, confirmed that all Mauritanian pilgrims arrived safely in Saudi Arabia without any incident or injury. (Source)
Mauritania Airlines also issued a statement noting that three outbound flights, operated on May 23, 24, and 25, reached their destinations in Saudi Arabia without any issues and successfully completed as part of the 2025 Hajj season. No crashes or emergencies were reported during any segment of travel.
Image Verification
The images shared alongside the claim are not relevant to any recent crash involving Mauritania Airlines. Our investigation found that some posts reused old and unrelated news images, including:
A 2010 image from an Algerian aviation article.
A 2024 photo from a Jeju Airlines incident in South Korea.
Additionally, one of the widely circulated images was flagged by AI detection tools (Hive Moderation and Undetectable AI) as likely AI-generated.
Furthermore, the aircraft shown in viral posts bears no resemblance to the actual planes used by Mauritania Airlines.
Conclusion
Our investigation of the circulating images and official statements from Mauritanian authorities conclusively shows that claims of a Mauritanian pilgrims’ plane crash near the Red Sea are false. All Hajj pilgrims from Mauritania have arrived safely in Saudi Arabia. The shared images were found to be either outdated, unrelated to Mauritania, or artificially generated.
Title:False: No Mauritanian Hajj Pilgrims’ Plane Crashed Near Red Sea
Fact Check By: Cielito WangResult: False
