Mumbai, October 20: Did IndiGo's Antonov AN-124 really land in Antarctica, making it the first Indian aircraft to visit the continent? Several viral images on social media claim that an IndiGo-branded Antonov AN-124 aircraft landed in Antarctica. The images quickly went viral and became the talking point on social media.

The misleading images, shared by X user @Aeroconcepts, show a large Antonov AN-124 aircraft with IndiGo livery stationed on the Antarctic ice.  "India in Antarctica! IndiGo's Antonov AN-124 becomes the first Indian aircraft to visit Antarctica," the user wrote while sharing the photos. The user further tagged the official X Accounts of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and DGCA. Viral Video of Commuters Sneaking Under Turnstile Without Ticket Not From Patna Metro, Fact-Check Finds Gurugram Link.

Fake Images of IndiGo-Branded Antonov AN-124 in Antarctica Go Viral

(Photo Credits: X)

Did IndiGo’s Antonov AN-124 Really Land in Antarctica?

Many social media users believed the images confirmed IndiGo’s role in the groundbreaking mission. However, these viral photos appear to be digitally altered. IndiGo, India’s largest airline, does not operate the Antonov AN-124. Its current fleet includes Airbus A320 family aircraft and ATR turboprops, not heavy-lift cargo planes.

According to the reports from the Indian Express and Aerospace Global News, the aircraft used for the October 2025 India-to-Antarctica cargo mission was a Russian Ilyushin Il-76, not an Antonov. The Antonov AN-124 is one of the world's largest cargo planes and is operated by specialised international cargo carriers, not IndiGo. Fact Check: Does American Rapper Kanye West Refuse to Have a Haircut Until Barber Plays Kumar Sanu’s Hindi Song ‘Tere Dar Par Sanam’?

About the Antonov AN-124:

The An-124, regarded as the world’s second heaviest gross weight production cargo airplane after the destroyed one-off Antonov An-225 Mriya, remains the largest military transport aircraft currently in service. With its four powerful turbofan engines and long-range capacity, the Antonov An-124 is designed to transport oversized and heavy cargo, including military equipment and humanitarian supplies.

The primary commercial operators are Antonov Airlines (Ukraine) and Volga-Dnepr Airlines (Russia), both known for handling oversized and heavy-lift cargo worldwide. Additionally, the Russian Air Force operates the AN-124 for strategic military transport. No Indian airline, including IndiGo, operates the AN-124.

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Rating:2

TruLY Score 2 – Unverified | On a Trust Scale of 0-5 this article has scored 2 on LatestLY. It relies on a single source or posts by social media users, with no independent verification. The content should be viewed with caution and should not be shared without further validation from credible sources.

Fact check

Did IndiGo’s Antonov AN-124 Really Land in Antarctica, Becoming 1st Indian Aircraft To Visit the Continent? Fact Check Debunks Fake Digitally Edited Images
Claim :

IndiGo made history by becoming the first Indian airline to visit Antarctica with Antonov AN-124.

Conclusion :

The images are digitally edited. IndiGo does not operate Antonov AN-124.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 20, 2025 05:12 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).