An Indian-origin pilot was among two people killed after a helicopter carrying newlyweds crashed in the US state of Georgia, just hours after their wedding celebrations, the Sunday Guardian Reported.
The victim, 26-year-old Dave Fiji, had recently tied the knot with his longtime partner, Jessni, in a ceremony attended by nearly 400 guests.
According to local media reports, the couple boarded a Robinson R66 helicopter late on Friday night following their wedding reception at The Revere, a popular wedding venue.
The helicopter was meant to serve as a grand send-off, transporting the newlyweds to a hotel in downtown Atlanta. However, the aircraft crashed into a densely wooded area near Dawsonville in Dawson County shortly after take-off.
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Dave Fiji, whose family traces its roots to Kerala, was killed in the crash along with the helicopter pilot. His wife, Jessni, survived the accident and is recovering in hospital.
Speaking to the media, Dave's father, George Fiji, recalled the joy his son felt on his wedding day. “My son was so happy. I was just standing there watching my son. He looked so handsome,” he said.
The family said Dave and Jessni first met through church connections nearly a decade ago. What began as a friendship eventually developed into a relationship that culminated in their marriage.
George Fiji also revealed that his son had expressed concerns about flying due to poor weather conditions. “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,” he said.
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Despite those concerns, the flight proceeded after the pilot reportedly assured the couple that visibility issues could be avoided by flying at a higher altitude.
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation into the crash to determine its cause.
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