Ever since the start of the illegal blockade, Qatar has had to fight the scourge of false online news. Although there is much fake news that predicts gloom and doom for Qatar, all of them have been quickly proven to be false.

The most recent in the series was a false online media report saying Qatar Airways passengers on its Doha-Lagos flight narrowly averted disaster.

Qatar Airways has roundly denied the news, saying the flight was redirected to land in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum as a preventive and routine action following a minor technical malfunction, reported Gulf Times

Qatar Airways denied the suggestions of some media outlets outside Qatar that passengers on its flight from Doha to Lagos survived a disaster due to a technical malfunction, stressing that the conversion of flight to Khartoum was preventive and routine action. #QNA pic.twitter.com/bjkRcfywCp

— Qatar News Agency (@QNAEnglish) February 22, 2019

The Qatar Airways flight QR1409, flying from Doha to Lagos in Nigeria, was subjected to a minor technical malfunction on Thursday. The flight was diverted to Khartoum, and the plane landed safely.

A Qatar Airways flight (QR1324), which was at the Khartoum Airport preparing to take off to Doha, was diverted to Lagos to pick the passengers to Lagos. The passengers arrived at their destination safely with a delay of three hours and 50 minutes, reported Qatar Tribune.

Stressing passenger safety as one of its top priorities, Qatar Airways has called on people to validate the authenticity of all online news items.