Tuesday, June 2, 2026 - An Indian-origin pilot, Dave Fiji, was k!lled in a helicopter crash in Atlanta, US, just hours after marrying his long-time partner, turning what had been a joyous wedding celebration into a tragedy.
The crash also claimed the life of the helicopter pilot,
while the bride survived and is recovering in hospital.
The 25-year-old Delta Airlines regional pilot and his wife
Jesni had boarded a Robinson R66 helicopter after their wedding ceremony in
Dawsonville, Georgia on Friday night, May 29, 2026.
The helicopter was headed to DeKalb-Peachtree Airport as part
of a special send-off arranged after the wedding, according to Atlanta News
First.
However, the aircraft crashed in a heavily wooded area near
the wedding venue shortly after take-off.
Around 400 guests had attended the couple's wedding at The
Revere in Dawsonville.
Recalling the celebrations, Dave's father George Fiji said his son had
been overjoyed on his wedding day.
"My son was so happy. I was just standing there watching
my son and admiring him. He looked so handsome," he said.
According to family members, Dave and Jesni met through
church connections between South Carolina and Georgia before their friendship
eventually blossomed into a relationship.
"Friends who decided to become life partners,"
George said while describing the couple.
The helicopter crashed before reaching its destination,
prompting a major search operation in the wooded area.
George Fiji said rescuers took several hours to locate the
wreckage.
"It took them awhile to locate the helicopter
itself," he said.
According to the family, Jesni remained trapped inside the
wreckage for nearly six hours before emergency responders found her.
Describing the heartbreaking scene relayed by his
daughter-in-law, George said Jesni realised her husband had d!ed beside her.
He 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," he said
George said Jesni suffered cuts and bruises but escaped
without any broken bones.
"She's devastated, but she's recovering," he added.
Dave Fiji had dreamed of becoming a pilot since childhood and
later fulfilled that ambition by joining Delta Air Lines as a first officer,
according to his father.
After the helicopter departed, George said his son had
expressed concerns about deteriorating weather conditions and 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 said.
According to George, Jesni later told him that the helicopter
pilot responded by saying they would fly at a higher altitude.
US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is
investigating the accident and has not yet determined the cause of the crash.
As the family mourns the loss of Dave Fiji, George said their
Christian faith is helping them cope with the tragedy.
"Without God there would be many questions — why? 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," he
said.
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