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I found a photo that I am currently trying to verify. It shows MH370, 5 days after disappearance, over Poland.

Use the link, the image uploaded on StackExchange removes the EXIF

https://www.kualalumpurpost.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/mh370_file_poland_reuters.jpg

Original image from the link above, image upload on StackExchange removes the EXIF

The problems with this photo are multiple, I think:

Is there any objective evidence as to whether this photo really does show MH370, and really was taken in Poland on Feb 5th 2014, as claimed?

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  • Even if was taken at that place and time, it could just be another flight. I can't make out any identifying markers. Also, I got a warning when I clicked on that link.
    – PointlessSpike
    Commented Apr 11, 2016 at 10:16
  • I voted to close because you didn't provide anyone's claim that the photo was taken on March 13. Is anyone saying this?
    – Avery
    Commented Apr 11, 2016 at 10:18
  • @PointlessSpike It has the same tail number. On March 13 2014 mh370 (tail number 9m-mro) was disappeared by 5 days.
    – user32121
    Commented Apr 11, 2016 at 10:20
  • @Avery Exif from multiple sources. And the cached version of the Reuters Pictures catalog page (that is no more available) says march 13, 2014.. Look above for link.
    – user32121
    Commented Apr 11, 2016 at 10:22
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    As you said yourself the exif data may merely be "digital creation date". And the Reuters byline is for the related article, not the photo (it would surely be newsworthy if the photo were taken March 13). So the photo was taken on Feb 5 and no one is saying otherwise. There is no claim to investigate here.
    – Avery
    Commented Apr 12, 2016 at 1:19

1 Answer 1

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No

Tomasz Bartkowiak is indeed Polish photographer. He indeed does aircraft photography, and he does specialize in high altitude photos.

The picture in question is shown in the local TV interview with him. The interview is unrelated to MH370, it's about passion for high altitude airplane photography. The picture is just one of many plane photos shown: enter image description here

And indeed the plane in the picture turned out to be the very same aircraft, that was later serving MH370 route. This is believed to be on of the last pictures of the plane. This is the reason why Reuters has bought exclusive rights to the picture (hence it's credited "Reuters/Tomasz Bartkowiak" creating misconception that he's "Reuters photographer")

However, he claims to have captured the photo one month prior to MH370 disappearance.

SuperExpress (polish daily) reports:

Zaginiony Boeing 777 najprawdopodobniej zakończył swój lot w Oceanie Indyjskim, nikt nie przeżył katastrofy. Miesiąc przed tragedią fotografowi Tomaszowi Bartkowiakowi udało się zrobić zdjęcia dokładnie temu samolotowi, który przelatywał... nad Jarocinem!

translated:

Missing Boeing 777 most likely ended its flight in Indian Ocean, no one survived. A month before the tragedy photographer Tomasz Bartkowiak managed to take photo of this very aircraft, which was overflying... Jarocin.

On his Facebook page he's got invitation to exposition of airplane photos, one of which is described as:

jedno z ostatnich zdjęć samolotu Malaysian Airlines …sławnego zaginionego lotu MH370

translated

one of the last photos of Malaysian Airlines airplane …the famous missing flight MH370

Again, no claims that it was taken after disappearance.

The Reuters caption of the picture is (emphasis mine):

Boeing 777 Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 with the registration number 9M-MRO flies over Poland February 5.

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  • Note, that Reuters caption is inaccurate, as it wasn't flight MH370 when it was overflying Poland, but I'm guessing that is just for brevity.
    – vartec
    Commented Apr 13, 2016 at 2:50
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    I posted an answer, inexplicably deleted, which included the up-to-date Reuters caption from the image metadata, which anyone can view. Reuters updated the caption with a "correction", removing the claim that this was flight MH370.
    – user56reinstatemonica8
    Commented Apr 13, 2016 at 8:13
  • @user568458: OTOH the question itself make same abbreviation, asking if that's "photo of MH370", rather than asking is that's "a photo of plane with registration 9M-MRO, which went missing while serving flight MH370". I wouldn't attribute any malice to that.
    – vartec
    Commented Apr 13, 2016 at 19:31
  • Not attributing any malice, I posted it as one part of my answer since it explains why Reuters would have removed it from their library (they thought it was MH370, then realised it might not be)
    – user56reinstatemonica8
    Commented Apr 13, 2016 at 20:05

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