Did a pastor 'predict' the Air India plane crash? ‘Avoid red aircraft body because…’

A video shared by billionaire Harsh Goenka about the recent Air India plane crash is going viral on social media. The 1.33-minute clip features Sri Lankan evangelical pastor Jerome Fernando, who is seen making what many are calling a ‘prediction’ about the tragic incident.

In the video, Fernando can be heard warning of a “mid-air issue" involving “India’s national carrier” on two separate occasions.

The first instance dates back to 26 November 2024, when Fernando addressed a group of Indians at his event. In the video, he says: “I begin to see something… your national carrier was flying within your country… and this was a threat mid-air… you will hear it… this is mid-air issue."

Months later, on April 24 2025 — just 49 days before the crash — he issues another warning: “Avoid red air craft body because this is mid in the air…"

Sharing the clip on X, Harsh Goenka wrote: “Unbelievable, isn’t it?" The video has since received over three lakh views and sparked mixed reactions online.

An X user, Dr Nilima Srivastava, criticised the claims, pointing out that Fernando was “factually incorrect" as he mentioned a “mid-air crash.” She wrote: “The crash happened at takeoff. Red Body was easy to predict given the number of technical glitches Air India has faced ever since this Wilson fellow became CEO.”

She also noted past regulatory actions against the airline, stating: “Air India fined ₹10 lakh for ‘not complying with rules’ in August 2024. In February 2025, Aviation safety regulator DGCA fined Tata Group-owned Air India ₹30 lakh for allowing a pilot to operate a flight without meeting necessary regulatory requirements."*

Another user, @hemant\_architec, responded with sarcasm: “Airline companies should hire him to predict so they change colour or route and so on."

Who Is Jerome Fernando?

Pastor Jerome Fernando leads the Glorious Church in Sri Lanka and describes himself as a prophet of God. He is known to have a large following, including several Sri Lankan celebrities and cricketers.

In December 2023, Fernando was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) after claiming that the Buddha had been “looking for Jesus,” a comment that drew widespread criticism in the majority-Buddhist nation.