'Dave raised concerns before take-off; Jesni knew he was gone'; Atlanta Malayalees in shock over tragic helicopter crash

The Malayalees of Atlanta are not yet out of the shock induced by the helicopter crash that killed the groom and pilot just hours before the wedding. The shocking incident took place at 10.30 pm on Friday. The helicopter the couple was travelling in crashed due to bad weather. Dave Fiji, the son of Muvattupuzha Kaduvakuzhi native George Fiji and Pheba, died in the tragic incident.

Dave, who was a pilot for Delta Airlines, and Jesni, a nurse, got married last Friday night. The vehicle chosen for the after-party was a Robinson R66 five-seat turbine lightweight helicopter. The helicopter, which left for DeKalb Peachtree Airport in Chamblee, Georgia, didn't make it to the destination as it crashed near Dawson Villa, the wedding venue.

Jesni, who was seriously injured, is being treated at a Metro Atlanta hospital. Authorities have not released information about the pilot who died in the accident.

The helicopter crashed in the woods not far from the wedding venue. Locals told Atlanta News First that the helicopter crashed on 10,000 acres of land owned by the city of Atlanta and overseen by the state as a wildlife management area. Dave Fiji's father, George Fiji, said it took a while to find the crashed helicopter. Jesni was found after about six hours of searching.

"Jesni said she saw Dave lying on top of her. She saw blood, and by then his body was completely cold. She's a nurse, so she knew he was gone," George said.

Dave, who lives in Atlanta, is a pilot for Delta Airlines. Dave is the son of George and Phebe Fiji, who immigrated to the US from Muvattupuzha years ago. According to the family, Dave dreamed of flying since he was 10 years old. He later joined Delta Airlines as a first officer.

The wedding was attended by about 400 guests. Dave and Jesni first met at a church. They dated for many years before deciding to get married. It was raining before the helicopter took off on Friday night. George said that his son, a pilot, shared his concerns about the weather at that time.

“My son was a pilot. Before take-off, my son spoke to the pilot, who said that visibility was zero and that we would never take off at times like this. But Jesni later revealed to George that the pilot said he could fly higher.

God gave us a perfect marriage, and in a few hours, everything turned into a disaster. The only place we can find answers and peace is in God," George said.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has opened an investigation into the accident. The cause of the helicopter crash has not yet been determined.