Hoax – Picture of Sharks Swimming In Flooded Kuwait Scientific Center

Outline
Message that features an image of sharks swimming in a flooded lobby at the bottom of escalators claims that the picture was taken after the collapse of the shark tank at the Scientific Center in Kuwait. 

Brief Analysis
The image is the result of digital manipulation and it does not depict the result of a shark tank collapse in Kuwait, or anywhere else. The source picture shows Toronto’s Union Station after water from a damaged sewer pipe inundated the building. There are no sharks in the original picture.

Example

Detailed Analysis
This message, which circulates via social media posts and email and has also been posted to many blogs and websites, features an image supposedly depicting sharks swimming in a flooded building lobby at the base of a pair of escalators. The message claims that the picture depicts the result of a shark tank collapse at the Scientific Center in Kuwait and suggests that users share the image because they are unlikely to see such an event again. 

Image credit: Jenny Porter/CBCNews

Thus it seems that some prankster has taken the original picture and added in the sharks from another image source. And, the picture has no connection to the Scientific Center in Kuwait, which does feature a large – and still very much intact – aquarium.

Ironically, back in 2010, a shark-filled aquarium at a large mall in Dubai did crack, causing a precautionary evacuation of the building and some leakage. However, the breach was quickly contained and none of the aquarium’s residents escaped to swim the mall and none were harmed.

Although it is currently unclear who created the fake shark image, it seems likely that it was intended only as a harmless prank.