This visual effects video does not show genuine scenes of Hong Kong’s Jumbo floating restaurant sinking at sea

 

Screenshot of the Facebook post.

 

The Claim and Our Verdict 

• The claim: A video circulating online claims to show Hong Kong’s Jumbo floating restaurant sinking at sea. 
• Fact-checking: The video does not show genuine scenes but rather a digital simulation of the Jumbo floating restaurant sinking at sea. 
• Our verdict: This visual effects video does not show genuine scenes of Hong Kong’s Jumbo floating restaurant sinking at sea. 

News Brief 

A video was shared July 6, 2022, on Facebook. The video appears to show Hong Kong’s iconic Jumbo floating restaurant sinking at sea. The caption, written in traditional Chinese, translates as follows: “This seems to be the footage of the Jumbo floating restaurant sinking at sea.” The post may mislead the public to believe that the footage is a genuine video of the sinking of the iconic restaurant. 

On June 23, 2022, the Hong Kong Marine Department issued the following press release: “According to the information provided by the ship owner, on the night of June 18, when Jumbo was being towed by ocean-going tugboat ‘JAEWON 9’ in the vicinity of Xisha Islands in the South China Sea, Jumbo capsized due to adverse weather. At present, both Jumbo and the tugboat are still in the waters off Xisha Islands. The ship owner will continue to follow up on the incident.” 

According to an article published June 24, 2022 by Hong Kong’s Cable News, the vessel has not completely sunk into the water, and part of its hull was still above the sea.  

As of the publication of this report, the post had been shared six times, and it had garnered nine comments and 52 likes or reactions. Similar claims can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Weibo. 

Fact-checking 

A reverse image search found a YouTube video published June 22, 2022, titled “Sinking Jumbo floating restaurant at sea.” The Facebook video was captured from the first 15 seconds of the YouTube video. 

The description of the YouTube video states that the video is a digital simulation. The description of the YouTube channel also reads, “A VFX and motion design behind the scenes showcase channel.” The video, therefore, does not display genuine scenes but rather a digital simulation of the iconic restaurant sinking at sea. 

 

Screenshot comparison of the Facebook video (top) and the YouTube video (bottom). 

 

As of the publication of the current report, a keyword search did not return genuine footage of the Jumbo sinking at the sea. According to the news report, the capsizing of the vessel was still under investigation.