No Crash Involving Mauritanian Hajj Flight – Viral claims: A widely circulated claim on social media alleging a deadly crash of a Mauritanian Hajj flight has been thoroughly investigated and proven false. Official sources from Mauritania and image verification confirm that there is no truth to the rumor, and that all Mauritanian pilgrims have arrived safely in Saudi Arabia for the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage.
The False Claim
The misleading posts, which rapidly spread across various social media platforms, claimed that a Mauritanian aircraft carrying 210 Hajj pilgrims crashed en route to Saudi Arabia, resulting in the death of everyone on board. The posts were accompanied by dramatic and disturbing images, including:
A photograph of a plane crashing into the ocean.
A second image showing an aircraft engulfed in flames on the ground.
These visuals lent a false sense of credibility to the fabricated story, sparking widespread concern, grief, and confusion among viewers, particularly within the Mauritanian community and the broader Muslim world.
Official Denial and Clarification
Authorities in Mauritania were quick to respond to the viral misinformation. Al-Wali Taha, Director of Hajj Affairs at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, released a clear and unambiguous statement:
“Every Mauritanian pilgrim has been verified as having reached Saudi Arabia safely.” There is absolutely no truth to the rumors circulating online.”
In addition, Mauritania Airlines, the national carrier responsible for transporting many pilgrims, issued an official clarification:
“All scheduled Hajj flights for the 2025 pilgrimage were successfully completed without any accidents or incidents. No reports of technical malfunctions or emergencies have been recorded by either the airline or government aviation authorities.”
Image Verification: A Case of Misused Media
A forensic analysis of the viral images using reverse image search tools revealed that both pictures were unrelated to the 2025 Hajj season:
- The image of the plane crashing into the sea has been circulating online for at least four years and is unrelated to any Mauritanian or Hajj-related flight.
- The burning aircraft image dates back to 2018 and appears to have been taken from a completely different aviation incident. Its reuse in the context of the alleged Hajj flight crash is both deceptive and misleading.
Conclusion: No Crash, No Casualties
After thorough investigation and corroboration with official aviation and religious authorities, the claim of a Mauritanian Hajj flight crash has been unequivocally debunked. There is no evidence supporting the existence of any such accident in 2025.”Every Mauritanian pilgrim has been verified as having reached Saudi Arabia safely.”
Verdict: False Information
“No Mauritanian Hajj flight has been involved in any crash.”
All passengers are safe and accounted for.
“The circulating images are outdated and misused to spread false information.”
A Reminder on Responsible Sharing
The incident underscores the dangers of spreading unverified and sensationalized content, especially about events as sacred and emotionally charged as the Hajj pilgrimage.
Sharing false information not only misleads the public but also disrespects the sanctity of the lives involved and undermines the credibility of real news sources.
