Image shows Caribbean aircraft struck by birds, not Kenyan plane damaged by cow

  • This article is more than one year old.
  • Published on July 4, 2023 at 15:15
  • 2 min read
  • By Mary KULUNDU, AFP Kenya

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An image of a damaged white plane stained with blood has been shared in multiple online posts alleging that it hit a cow while landing at an airstrip in western Kenya. But the claim is false: the picture shows a Caribbean Airlines plane after striking a bird on June 24, 2023.

"Just in: Renegade Air hits a cow while landing at Kabunde Airstrip, Homa Bay," reads a Facebook post published on June 26, 2023.

The image in the post shows a damaged plane smeared with blood on the nosecone.

A screenshot of the false Facebook post, taken on June 27, 2023

According to the claim, the incident involved Kenya's Renegade Air, which launched (archived here) its first flight on June 12, 2023, from Nairobi to Kabunde airstrip, located in Kenya’s Homa Bay county.

The same claim was shared in other Facebook posts (see here and here) and on Twitter.

Kabunde’s airfield has become the subject of ridicule by online trolls sharing misleading images and videos, claiming the runway is unkempt (see here and here).

The latest claim purportedly involving a cow in Kenya is also false.

Bird strike

The stopper placed in front of the wheels bears the initials "BWIA" (British West Indian Airways) – a clue suggesting the aircraft might not be from Africa.

A screenshot showing the stopper with the letters BWIA ( Mary KULUNDU)

Following bankruptcy, BWIA relaunched in 2006 as Caribbean Airlines. It is a state-owned company and the national carrier of Trinidad and Tobago, and Jamaica.

A reverse image search on Google revealed reports (here and here) about a Caribbean Airlines plane that birds struck mid-air.

A screenshot of a report using the image of the damaged plane, taken on June 30, 2023

Caribbean Airlines confirmed the incident to AFP Fact Check.

"A bird strike happened on BW 1502 on Saturday, June 24. The aircraft landed safely and without incident. The aircraft was inspected, and the repairs are being completed,” it said in an email.

Renegade Air also issued a statement dismissing the claim, warning the public to source information from the company's verified social media channels and official websites.

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