It circulated online after a devastating fire on a Thai school bus killed at least 23 people, police said (archived link).
The inferno engulfed the bus on a highway in a northern Bangkok suburb as it was carrying 38 children – ranging from kindergarten to young teenagers – and six teachers on a school trip.
This is believed to be the deadliest road accident in a decade in Thailand, which has one of the worst road safety records in the world with around 20,000 fatalities a year.
The same clip, which predated the crash in Thailand, was shared on Facebook here and here along with a similar false claim; and here on TikTok.
Kenyan school funeral
A reverse image search on Google found a video published on YouTube by Citizen TV Kenya television channel on September 26, 2024 (archived link).
The white and gold chests match the features shown in the circulating posts.
“Farewell to Endarasha victims / Funeral service for 21 students killed in dormitory fire,” read the news ticker of the report.
Below is a screenshot comparison of the fake message (left) and the video published by Citizen TV Kenya (right):
AFP published similar images of the funeral service on the same day (archived link).
“A memorial service will be held in Mweiga for 21 boys, aged nine to 13, who died in an overnight fire at their dormitory at Hillside Endarasha Academy in central Kenya on September 26,” the video’s caption read.
The cause of the fatal dormitory fire is still under investigation.
Following the Thai school bus inferno, AFP also reported on the funeral prayers for the twenty children and three teachers who were killed.
A huge display of white flowers decorated 23 coffins, which were covered with portraits of the dead and offerings of food, drink – and even toy wagons and dolls – to comfort the departed spirits (archived link).
Photos taken by AFP photographer Chanakarn Laosarakham during the event differ from the scene shown in the fake reports.
Chanakarn LaosarakhamAFP
Chanakarn LaosarakhamAFP
AFP has debunked other false reports following the Thai school bus accident.
