What was meant to be the beginning of a new chapter ended in tragedy for a newlywed couple in the United States after an Indian-origin pilot was killed in a helicopter crash just hours after his wedding.
Dave Fiji, a 26-year-old first officer with Delta Air Lines whose family traces its roots to Kerala, died when the Robinson R66 helicopter carrying him and his bride crashed in Dawson County, Georgia, shortly after their wedding reception.
According to reports from Atlanta News First, the helicopter's pilot was also killed in the crash. Dave's wife, Jessni, survived and is currently recovering at a hospital in the Atlanta metropolitan area.
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Celebration turns into tragedy
According to Dave's father, George Fiji, the couple married on Friday after a decade-long relationship that began at New Testament Church. Nearly 400 guests attended the ceremony at The Revere in Dawsonville. Following the reception, the newlyweds boarded a Robinson R66 helicopter for what was intended to be a special send-off before beginning their honeymoon celebrations.
The aircraft departed for DeKalb-Peachtree Airport, but never reached its destination. Authorities later located the wreckage in a wooded area near Mount Vernon Drive in Dawson County, not far from the wedding venue.
Speaking to Atlanta News First, George Fiji described his son as being overjoyed on his wedding day. "My son was so happy," he said.
Bride trapped for hours after crash
According to the family, it took rescuers several hours to locate the crash site.
George Fiji said Jessni remained trapped in the wreckage for nearly six hours before emergency teams reached her.
Recalling her account of the aftermath, he told Atlanta News First that she regained consciousness and found her husband unresponsive beside her. "She's devastated, but she's recovering," he said. Jessni reportedly suffered cuts and bruises and remains under medical care.
Pilot had concerns about weather, father says
George Fiji also claimed his son had expressed concerns about weather conditions before the flight departed. According to his father, Dave, who was himself a professional pilot, questioned whether the helicopter should take off because of poor visibility.
"Since my son was a pilot, he told the pilot that there is zero visibility, and when there is zero visibility like this, we never fly," George Fiji told Atlanta News First. He alleged that the helicopter pilot responded by saying the aircraft would operate at a higher altitude. Those claims have not been independently verified by investigators.
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Investigation underway
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation into the crash. Officials have not yet determined the cause of the accident, and authorities have not publicly released the name of the helicopter pilot who also died in the incident.
The probe is expected to examine weather conditions, flight operations and other factors that may have contributed to the crash. For now, family and friends are mourning the loss of a young pilot whose wedding day ended in unimaginable tragedy just hours after he exchanged vows with the woman he had known for nearly a decade.
