Clarifying the Origin of a Viral Video
As Morocco heightens its preparedness to combat the escalating threat of wildfires affecting the region, users on social media have circulated a video claiming to show a Canadair firefighting plane crashing in the country. However, investigations reveal that this footage was actually filmed in Greece in 2023. The video captures the dramatic moment a firefighting aircraft plummets while attempting to extinguish a blaze over a mountainous area.
The accompanying commentary accompanying the video falsely asserts that the scene depicts an incident in Morocco. In reality, the Moroccan authorities are currently facing a critical situation, having reported a total of 310 forest fires across the nation from the beginning of 2026 until July 20, according to the National Agency for Water and Forests. On July 25, the Moroccan authorities successfully extinguished forest fires that erupted in the northern region of Tetouan and the central region of Taroudant, which consumed approximately 12 hectares of forest cover without any reported human casualties.
To combat these fires, Moroccan officials deployed a Canadair aircraft along with an EC225 helicopter in their firefighting efforts. Following these developments, the misleading video circulated on social media, misattributing the footage to a firefighting plane crash in Morocco.
The Truth Behind the Video
Upon thorough investigation, it has been determined that the video in question originates from a separate incident in Greece. Analysis of still images extracted from the footage indicates that it was published in several news outlets on July 25, 2023. The reports clarify that the video depicts the crash of a firefighting plane amid ongoing wildfire battles in Greece.
Further research leads to the original footage, which can be found on the website of the Greek public television channel ERT, where it was featured with details about the incident. According to information provided by the Associated Press, on July 25, 2023, a water bomber, which was carrying at least two pilots, crashed while combating a forest fire on the southern part of Evia Island. The incident occurred near the village of Plataniastou, as confirmed by Yanis Artopios, a spokesperson for the firefighting teams involved.
This situation underscores the importance of verifying information before sharing it on social media, particularly in times of crisis when accurate information can significantly impact public response and safety.
As reported by factcheckarabic.afp.com.
