The Simpsons is a TV show known for its precognition, with the iconic cartoon credited with foretelling the global pandemic, video chat and Donald Trump’s US presidency.
But could an episode that first aired in 2006 have also predicted another major global news event — this week’s Titanic sub disaster?
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: The 17-year-old Simpsons episode with eerie similarities to real submersible disaster.
Stream the world’s best reality, entertainment and true crime shows for free on 7Bravo on 7plus >>
In the season 17 episode Homer’s Paternity Coot, Homer travels to the deep-sea wreckage of a ship in a miniature submarine — not unlike the Titan submersible which went missing this week carrying five men.
The episode is based around doubts Abe Simpson is Homer’s biological father, with evidence emerging a wealthy treasure hunter named Mason Fairbanks is.
Homer and Fairbanks travel to the wreckage together in search of lost treasure.
The expedition nearly goes awry as Homer’s sub becomes trapped in coral. He passes out due to low oxygen.
But he is rescued three days later before it’s revealed (*spoiler alert) Abe is his real father.
Fans have been quick to point out the eerie similarities between the episode and the real-life events of this week when the submersible carrying Stockton Rush, Hamish Harding, Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son, Suleman, and Paul-Henri Nargeolet lost contact on the way to the Titanic wreckage.
“The Simpsons predicted the billionaires’ Titanic submarine too,” one person said on Twitter.
Another proclaimed, “The Simpsons’ prophecy came true”, while someone else said, “This is scary”.
It has now been revealed the group likely died when the vessel imploded, according to US authorities.
Predictable tragedy?
In another strangely accurate prediction of the disaster, a Twitter user’s nine-month-old post about an idea for a sequel to the movie Titanic has also gone viral.
“I have an idea for a Titanic (1997) sequel, where a luxury submarine full of millionaires crashes while touring the wreck of Titanic,” the person says.
If you’d like to view this content, please adjust your .
To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide.