False claims circulating online that the Air India jet that crashed in western India on Thursday had been maintained by Turkish Technic were debunked by Anadolu Agency’s (AA) Fact-Check Line, which confirmed the aircraft involved was not part of the Turkish firm’s maintenance portfolio.
The plane carrying 242 people, en route from Ahmedabad, India, to Gatwick Airport in London, crashed Thursday afternoon.
Following the accident, numerous misleading posts claiming to show footage or information about the crash circulated online.
Some social media posts claimed the passenger plane that went down had been maintained by Turkish Technic, a repair and overhaul center operated by flag carrier Turkish Airlines.
AA’s Fact-Check Line, the news agency's service to combat misinformation, reported that the aircraft involved in the crash was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, while the aircraft shown in photos online in front of Turkish Technic hangars was identified as a Boeing 777.
According to official sources and a statement shared by Turkish Technic on April 9, the maintenance agreement between Turkish Technic and Air India exclusively covers full base maintenance operations for the airline’s Boeing 777 fleet. These services are carried out at Turkish Technic’s facilities in Istanbul. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner involved in the fatal crash, however, is not part of this agreement and has not undergone maintenance by Turkish Technic.
