Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence refuted on Friday claims that it has shot down a Chinese fighter aircraft that had trespassed into Taiwanese airspace.
The statement was in response to speculative reporting by Indian media outlets and two undated and unverified videos circulating on Indian Twitter.
One of the videos appears to show the wreckage of an aircraft in flames while another video shows an injured person being taken away on a medical stretcher. It is unclear when and where these videos were shot.
"Information about "Taiwan has shot shown a Chinese aircraft" is totally fake and we strongly condemn this behaviour of spreading misinformation," Taiwan Ministry of National Defence said.
Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence statement (Translated)
Click here to read.
The ministry's official Twitter handle also tweeted a denial in English.
In response to rumors online that claim a Chinese Su-35 fighter jet had been shot down by Taiwan air defense systems, #ROCAirForce would like to categorically state this is fake news. We urge netizens to not spread it and strongly condemn this malicious act.
— 國防部 Ministry of National Defense, R.O.C. (@MoNDefense) September 4, 2020
Media outlets include TV9 Bharatvarsh, Times Now and ABP News claimed that a Chinese fighter jet has been downed by Taiwan based on speculation by Indian Twitter users.
BOOM reached out to Taiwan FactCheck Center who told us no credible local news organisation had reported about a plane crash or a Chinese fighter jet being shot down. (Read their fact-check)
News Channels Broadcast Unverified Videos
TV9 Bharatvarsh also claimed that five fighter jets had trespassed Taiwanese airspace after which the jet was shot down. The channel ran unverified clips which were circulating online claiming to show the crash site. (from 1.14 timestamp)
The same clips were broadcasted by Times Now stating that there has been no confirmation of the incident. However, the channel went on to broadcast the unverified clips and claimed that a plane was shot down citing unnamed reports.
Click here to view, and here for an archive.
ABP News put out a news report with the unverified video stating that it is 'big setback' to China as the Chinese Sukhoi fighter plane has crashed in Taiwan. It further stated that according to the video the fighter jet seems to have crashed in an open area near a rural residential area.
Click here to view, and here for an archive.
The report further mentions that there is no information on how the crash occurred and it is not clear if the plane fell due to a technical malfunction or if it is a result of an attack by the Taiwanese military but still puts out the unverified video.
Click here to view, and here for an archive.
BOOM found that several defence and strategic affairs enthusiast handles tweeted the videos first.
News Line IFE - which BOOM has previously caught for peddling misinformation, also claimed that Chinese jet was shot down over Taiwan Strait.
Exclusive #ViralVideo of #Su35 pilot after being shot down over #Taiwan Strait. #Chinese jets undertake aggressive intrude on into #Taiwanese workspace on several occasion. But looks like #US #Taiwan had enough.
— News Line IFE 🌈Live📡 (@NewsLineIFE) September 4, 2020
This happens while #IndianArmy troops flanked #PLA at #LAC pic.twitter.com/wJ5qMjsS2s
It later on did a fact-check of the same claim.
#BreakingNews Update: Fact Check and Details! The Truth: #Taiwan shots down a Chinese fighter jet? https://t.co/SJziGvTj5P via IFE News Network
— News Line IFE 🌈Live📡 (@NewsLineIFE) September 4, 2020
Click here to view an archive.
Hints at the possible use of a Sky Bow-III missile pic.twitter.com/0i81aWgyGC
— Hukum 🇮🇳 (@hukum2082) September 4, 2020
Click here to view an archive.
Army veteran and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) member Major Surendra Poonia also tweeted the viral video claiming that a Chinese fighter jet has been shot down by Taiwan.
It's Big & Bold
— Major Surendra Poonia (@MajorPoonia) September 4, 2020
Chinese fighter Jet shot down by Taiwan....
Now China will say
It got crashed due to tech glitch or it's not true pic.twitter.com/DZ6oxHQAmh
Click here to view an archive.
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