Viral video of jetliner crashing was CGI, not in Elmina

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 18 — A video of a passenger jet on fire and crashing in a neighbourhood has been spreading on WhatsApp, with some alleging it to be the private jet in yesterday’s tragic crash in Elmina, Shah Alam.

Fact-checking group Faqchecklab found the video to be a computer-generated image of a plane that was uploaded on June 9 this year onto the YouTube video-sharing platform.

In the original YouTube video, the uploader claimed the video was of an “American plane crashing”.

The Elmina crash happened yesterday.

The video has started to make its rounds again after the crash with some believing it to be the private jet that crashed, killing all eight onboard, including two flight crew.

“Multiple reports have also made it clear that the type of aircraft that was involved in the accident was a Beechcraft Model 390 (Premier 1) and not a large commercial airliner as shown in the video,” said Faqchecklab on its account on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Two more people — a motorist and a motorcyclist were also killed. The aircraft was flying from Langkawi to the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang when crashed without a mayday call at about 2.50pm yesterday.

Pahang Local Government, Housing, Environment and Green Technology Committee chairman Datuk Seri Johari Harun was among the passengers.

So far, the cause of the crash has yet to be determined, although police have recovered a cockpit voice recorder to help facilitate investigations.

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