A viral post circulating on social media falsely claims that a Mauritania flight carrying 210 Hajj pilgrims crashed off the Red Sea coast while on its way to Saudi Arabia. However, a thorough fact-check has confirmed that the claim is baseless and untrue.
According to a report by Ummid, Mauritania’s Director of Hajj at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, El Waly Taha, has categorically denied the rumour. He affirmed that all Mauritanian pilgrims are safe and have reached the Holy Lands without incident.
The same report cited an official statement from Mauritania Airlines, which clarified that three scheduled flights — operated on May 23, 24, and 25 — successfully transported all pilgrims to Makkah for the 2025 Hajj season.
“Mauritania Airlines operated three flights for this year’s Hajj season and all three reached their destination safely,” the airline stated.
This incident underscores the importance of verifying information before sharing it online, especially during sensitive events such as Hajj, where misinformation can cause unnecessary panic among families and communities.
