These Images Do Not Depict the Oil Tanker Explosions in Abu Dhabi
The Claim
These images show the explosion of two fuel tankers in Abu Dhabi today, January 17, 2022.
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Emerging story
Following a suspected Yemeni Houthi rebel drone attack on Abu Dhabi on January 17, 2022, numerous TV channels, news websites, and social media users have circulated images claiming to depict the incident.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar has investigated the claim and found it misleading.
All of the images circulating are old and have already been posted on social media and news websites.
Using Google Image Reverse Search, we discovered that the first image, which depicts a crushed plane in Dubai Airport, was shared in 2016.
The second image has nothing to do with the Abu Dhabi fuel tanker explosion. It's an old photo of a blaze in Indianapolis caused by a tanker crash in February 2020.
Description: The photo is from an incident in Indianapolis.
The third image is also an old one, taken in the United Arab Emirates in August 2020, after a fire broke out at Ajman's market.
Description: The picture depicts a blaze breaking out at a UAE market in 2020.
As the fourth picture shows, a "spark from a passing car" caused oil to leak from a pipeline that was running along a desert highway near Cairo in July 2020.
Description: The picture was taken in Egypt in July 2020.
The last image was taken during an explosion on a container ship in Dubai, which caused a blast that could be seen and felt up to 15 miles away. According to news websites, the explosion is also known as the Jebel Ali explosion.
