Indian-origin pilot dies hours after wedding in helicopter crash

ATLANTA: A newlywed groom was killed in a helicopter crash in Georgia just hours after saying “I do” to his bride, who was injured in the crash.

Dave Fiji died Friday night when a Robinson R66 helicopter crashed as he and his wife, Jesni, left the Dawsonville wedding venue where they had just been married. The helicopter pilot also died in the crash.

Jesni, who survived with just cuts and bruises, is recovering in the hospital. She is devastated by the loss of her husband, according to her father-in-law, George Fiji.

As he also mourns his son, George Fiji is speaking out about the couple’s perfect wedding that was marred by tragedy.

The wedding
Dave Fiji and Jesni met through church connections between South Carolina and Georgia. They eventually became “friends who decided to become life partners,” according to George Fiji.

About 400 guests attended the couple’s wedding Friday night at The Revere in Dawsonville.

“My son was so happy,” George Fiji said. “I was just standing there watching my son and admiring him. He looked so handsome.”

At the end of the celebration, the couple boarded a helicopter bound for DeKalb-Peachtree Airport. Family members said the flight was intended as a special sendoff before the newlyweds spent the night at a downtown Atlanta hotel.

But the helicopter never reached its destination.

The crash

The helicopter crashed around 10:30 p.m. in a heavily wooded area not far from the wedding venue. Neighbors said it went down on a 10,000-acre tract owned by the City of Atlanta and managed by the state as a wildlife management area.

“It took them awhile to locate the helicopter itself,” George Fiji said.

Jesni survived the crash, but her new husband and the helicopter pilot did not.

“She said when she woke up she saw my son, Dave, resting on her bosom,” George Fiji said. “She saw blood on him, but by then, his body was completely cold. She’s a nurse, so she knew he was gone.”

Jesni remained trapped in the wreckage for nearly six hours before rescuers found her, according to her father-in-law. She suffered cuts and bruises but no broken bones and is recovering at a metro Atlanta hospital.

“She’s devastated, but she’s recovering,” George Fiji said.

Concerns before takeoff

Having dreamt of flying since he was 10 years old, Dave Fiji became a first officer for Delta Air Lines, his father said. As rain moved into the area before takeoff, he said his son expressed concerns about the weather.

“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.

Jesni later told her father-in-law that the pilot said they would fly at a higher altitude.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash and has not yet determined what caused the helicopter to go down.

Family leans on faith
As they mourn, Dave Fiji’s family says their Christian faith is helping them cope with his loss.

“Without God, there would be many questions — why?” George Fiji said. “God granted us a perfect wedding, and within a few hours, everything changed into tragedy. The only place we can find answers and peace is in God.”