It is incorrect to assert that two images portraying what is claimed to be the same accident originate from the same event and that this incident “just occurred” resulting in 34 fatalities, as indicated in the text accompanying a post shared on Facebook. The photographs are from two distinct occurrences, are not recent, and originate from different nations.
The text accompanying the images states, “National mourning has just occurred, a massive accident [sic] has left 34 dead.” In the upper image, one can observe what seems to be a yellow bus that has been crushed by a truck, with firefighters attending to the scene amidst a crowd. In the lower image, several individuals are seen observing a burning bus that is situated in the center of a multi-lane highway.
The first comment includes a link that ostensibly directs to a video providing further details about the accident. However, in actuality, it redirects to a website discussing a purported weight-loss remedy.
Honduras and Venezuela
A reverse image search conducted on Yandex for the photograph of the yellow bus indicates that the collision took place in Honduras in February 2017, over seven years ago. Fox News reported on the incident, which resulted in 15 fatalities, and the caption accompanying the photo illustrating the story, taken from a different perspective, credits the photographer as Fernando Antonio from the American news agency AP.An examination of the photo section of that outlet uncovered the image utilized in the post circulating on social media to claim the alleged accident that “just occurred.” The description states: “Emergency personnel responded to an accident involving a cargo truck and a bus on the outskirts of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on Sunday, February 5, 2017.”
“On Sunday, a cargo truck collided with a bus on the highway near the Honduran capital, resulting in the deaths of over a dozen individuals, according to authorities,” it stated.
Regarding the second image, which depicts a bus engulfed in flames, a reverse image search using Google Lens reveals multiple posts attributing the photo to the outskirts of Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, in mid-December 2023. This incident occurred eight months ago, and reports indicate that at least 30 individuals lost their lives.
Although the Facebook post does not clarify the location of the incident, it is reasonable to assume that the “massive accident that resulted in 34” fatalities refers to the same event.
The link purportedly leading to a video of the accident directs users to a website promoting a supposed weight-loss solution.
At elDetector, we have confirmed instances where posts inaccurately reported accidents and misled readers to click on links that promised full information but instead redirected them to unrelated sites. This practice is known as clickbait, designed to lure visitors to a website through attention-grabbing text, which can then be monetized.
Conclusion
It is incorrect to assert that the two images shared together, depicting two separate traffic accidents, originate from the same incident that “just occurred” and resulted in 34 fatalities, as claimed by a social media post. One image is from a crash in Honduras in 2017, while the other is from an accident in Venezuela in late 2023, thus both are presented out of context. For more information on how we select and assign our labels at elDetector, please read here.
elDetector functions independently, funded by institutions that are listed here, which do not influence our content. Our editorial policy remains autonomous.
The images represent two distinct events that took place in different locations and at different times, highlighting a trend of misinformation.
