All section Close
Fact Check: Video From USA Shared As IAF Helicopter Flying Over Pangong Lake, East Ladakh
Writer: Aditi Chattopadhyay
Aditi, part of the fact checking team of The Logical Indian likes to read, write, cook and laugh, in short live life as it is supposed to be. What makes her fascinated is to discover the truth behind a story and more often than not, it is either fact or myth at the end.
Ladakh, 2 July 2020 6:50 AM GMT
Editor : Bharat Nayak |
As the founding editor, Bharat had been heading the newsroom during the formation years of the organization and worked towards editorial policies, conceptualizing and designing campaign strategies and collaborations. He believes that through the use of digital media, one could engage the millennial's in rational conversations about pertinent social issues, provoking them to think and bring a behavioral change accordingly.
Creatives : Abhishek M
" An engineer by profession, Abhishek is the creative producer of the team, graphic designing is his passion and travelling his get away. In more ways than one, he makes the content visually appealing."
The Logical Indian Fact Check team investigates the claim that a viral video shows Apache helicopters flying over Pangong Lake in Ladakh as part of Indian Army build-up to counter China
Amid continuing border tensions with China at eastern Ladakh, a video is being circulated online which shows military choppers flying low over a water body in the backdrop of mountains with the claim that these are IAF's Apache helicopters patrolling over Pangong Tso in Ladakh.
The post has been viewed over 280,000 times.
The Indian Navy's Sea King helicopters with mast-mounted sonars conducting anti-submarine operations at Pangong Tso. pic.twitter.com/bpVcuoeoCG
— Mihir Shah (@elmihiro) June 23, 2020
The Logical Indian received a request in the Fact Check number to verify the claims.
According to an Economic Times report, India is rapidly building up military strength in Ladakh as of June 20, which include the latest Apache attack choppers and upgraded MiG-29 fighter jets deployed at the Leh airbase and additional troops rushed to eastern Ladakh.
Apache helicopters are specially designed to carry out offensive missions at high altitude locations and reportedly, the Chinese have no match for them.
These helicopters are particularly effective against armoured formations like tanks and infantry vehicles. These tanks and infantry have been deployed in strength by the Chinese side along LAC in Eastern Ladakh.
In a more recent development, top military commanders of Indian and Chinese armies held a meeting in Ladakh's Chushul on July 1 as part of their third attempt to ease tension along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) as Indian forces ramped up deployment along the border in a response to China's aggressive build-up of force.
Claim:
Video shows Apache helicopters flying over Pangong Lake in Ladakh as part of Indian Army build-up to counter China
Fact Check:
The claim is misleading.
A Google Reverse Image search was done by breaking the video into individual frames using InVid and related keyword search led to a Facebook Page called Hangar 24 Craft Brewing, which had posted the video on June 23.
"Hangar 24 Lake Havasu City Hangar 24 Orange County Hangar 24 Redlands," reads the caption of the video.
Lake Havasu is located in Arizona, USA.
A Facebook user called Ron Warren had commented on the post with another clip from the day.
Therefore, the video was shot in the USA and not in Pangong Lake, East Ladakh, India.
Comparison of an Indian Apache Helicopter (right) with the one in the viral video (Left) :
The choppers seen in the video are black whereas the IAF Apache helicopter is grey in colour.
Further, the IAF insignia (roundel) and tricolour stamp (green white orange stripes) are missing on the helicopters in the viral video.
The Indian Air Force had tweeted photos of Apache helicopters on May 2019 when India had first acquired it.
#ApacheInduction: First AH-64E (I) Apache Guardian helicopter was formally handed over to the IAF at Boeing production facility in Mesa, Arizona, USA on 10 May 19. Air Mshl AS Butola, represented the IAF & accepted the first Apache in a ceremony at Boeing production facility. pic.twitter.com/FzA0IfRine
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) May 11, 2019
If you have any news that you believe needs to be fact-checked, please email us at factcheck@thelogicalindian.com or WhatsApp at 6364000343
Also Read: Fact Check: No, You Are Not Being Tracked By Apple, Google's 'Exposure Notifications System'
Must Reads
We are an independent and public-spirited digital media platform for Indian millennials. We report news and issues that matter as well as give you the opportunity to take action.
