New Delhi: In a tragic incident, an Indian-origin man was killed in a helicopter crash in Georgia, United States, just hours after getting married. The man has been identified as 26-year-old Dave Fiji, a Delta Air Lines pilot. His family traces its roots to Kerala. Dave was on his way to his honeymoon with Jessni, his wife, when the Robinson R66, a lightweight, single-turbine helicopter, flying them, crashed near their Dawsonville wedding venue in Georgia, according to media reports.
Bride Survives
The pilot of the Robinson R66 helicopter, whose name has not been released by authorities yet, was also killed in the crash, according to a report by Atlanta News First. The bride, Jessni, who is a nurse by profession, survived the crash and is recovering at a metro Atlanta hospital, the report said.
Wedding Was Held in Dawsonville
“My son was so happy,” George Fiji, Dave’s father, told Atlanta News First.
Dave married Jessni on Friday. The two had met at New Testament Church about 10 years ago. Around 400 guests attended their wedding, which was held at The Revere in Dawsonville, according to his father.
The Crash
The couple, after its wedding reception, boarded a Robinson R66 helicopter bound for DeKalb-Peachtree Airport, Georgia’s second-busiest airport. The flight was reportedly a special sendoff for the couple before they spent the night at a downtown Atlanta hotel.
Before they could reach their honeymoon destination, the helicopter crashed in Dawson County near Mount Vernon Drive, just near the wedding venue.
Mourning For The Bride
George Fiji said it took a while for authorities to locate the helicopter after the crash. During this time, Jessni, who suffered cuts and bruises, reportedly remained trapped in the wreckage for nearly six hours before rescuers found her.
“She said when she woke up she saw my son Dave resting on her bosom. She saw blood on him, and by then his body was completely cold. She’s a nurse, so she knew he was gone,” George Fiji said, adding, “She’s devastated, but she’s recovering.”
Concerns About Weather
According to Dave’s father, Dave, who was a first officer for Delta Air Lines, had concerns about the weather before the takeoff. “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 said. But the pilot reportedly told him that they would fly at a higher altitude.
An investigation into the crash has been initiated by the National Transportation Safety Board. As of now, the cause of the crash has not been established.
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