FALSE ALERT: Guernsey Marine Ambulance posed as an ambulance launched by the Maharashtra government
Rumita Patel
CLAIM
The Chairman of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Health Committee Amey Ghole posted a photo of a marine ambulance to claim it was an ambulance launched by the Maharashtra government.
“A very unique and nice initiative from the Maharashtra government. featuring Boat Ambulance from Mandava Jetty to Gate Way of India, Thank you @CMOMaharashtra !!! (sic), ”Ghole tweeted.
The Chairman of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Health Committee Amey Ghole posted a photo of a marine ambulance to claim it was an ambulance launched by the Maharashtra government.
“A very unique and nice initiative from the Maharashtra government. featuring Boat Ambulance from Mandava Jetty to Gate Way of India, Thank you @CMOMaharashtra !!! (sic), ”Ghole tweeted.
A very unique and nice initiative from the government of Maharashtra. featuring Boat Ambulance from Mandava Jetty to Gate Way of… https://t.co/qNsWElmtjk
– Amey Ghole (@AmeyGhole) 1596980420000
Priyanka Chaturvedi, Shiv Sena MP for Rajya Sabha, cited Ghole’s tweet as a good initiative.
This is indeed a good intervention and initiative! https://t.co/Gei9i1MZaM
– Priyanka Chaturvedi (@ priyankac19) 1596998361000
Several other Twitter users tweeted the photo with the same claim.
Very good initiative from our Mahrashtra government. They have introduced the BOAT AMBULANCE service from Mandava to… https://t.co/TxGlnByVTp
– Prithviraj Sathe (@ Prithvirajsath3) 1597037690000
TRUE
The image used to make the claim is of Flying Christine III, Guernsey’s marine ambulance. It has nothing to do with the ambulance launched by the Maharashtra government
VERIFICATION AND METHODOLOGY
Using the reverse image search, we found a news report from the BBC dated April 3, 2014. Titled “Guernsey Marine Ambulance out of the water after gearbox failure,” the report had the same image as previously shared.
The marine ambulance is identified as Flying Christine III. It is a mobile treatment center, equipped like a road ambulance with the ability to provide advanced medical care to patients across the sea. It was released in 1994.
Using relevant keywords, he found that the Maharashtra state department of public health last week approved a project to establish the water ambulance service between Gateway of India in southern Mumbai and Mandwa in Raigad district, and is in the process of issuing tenders.
VERDICT
Times Fact Check has discovered that a photo of the Guernsey marine ambulance falsely masquerades as the ambulance boat launched by the Maharashtra government.
