Pastor predicted plane crash months ago, gave warnings twice; video

The Air India mishap at Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon has sparked a flurry of claims that the disaster had been "predicted" in advance. One such video shared by billionaire Harsh Goenka is now going viral on social media.

The 1-minute-33-second clip shows a Sri Lankan pastor allegedly predicting an air disaster. In the video, Pastor Jerome Fernando warns twice that India’s national airline would face a “mid-air issue.”

According to the video, the pastor issued the warning on November 26, 2024, during a sermon, reportedly addressing Indian followers attending the event. “I saw something. Your national airline was flying within the country. It became a threat in the air. You will hear about it. It will be an issue mid-air,” he says.

On April 24, just 49 days before the recent incident, Pastor Fernando reportedly issued a second warning: “Avoid red aircraft bodies, because they are in danger.” Harsh Goenka shared the clip on X with the caption, 'In Sri Lanka, a priest Fr Jerome warned about the Air India disaster repeatedly in the last few months. Unbelievable, isn’t it?'

In Sri Lanka, a priest Fr Jerome warned about the Air India disaster repeatedly in the last few months. Unbelievable, isn’t it? pic.twitter.com/2O3090SMLZ

— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) June 14, 2025

However, as the video went viral, some users pointed out discrepancies. The prediction said 'mid-air crash,' but the incident occurred during take off," one person commented. Others suggested the prophecy wasn't as astonishing when seen in context.

“Given the series of technical issues Air India has faced since Wilson became CEO, this prediction wasn’t too difficult,” a user argued. They also referenced prior penalties: in August 2024, a Rs 10 lakh fine was imposed on Air India for regulatory non-compliance. In February 2025, the DGCA fined the Tata-owned airline Rs 30 lakh for allowing a pilot to operate a flight without meeting mandatory regulatory requirements.