Dave Fiji and his wife Jessani (Image/X@ATLNewsFirst)

An Indian-origin pilot has died in a helicopter crash just hours after marrying his long-time partner in the US, turning a joyous wedding celebration into a tragedy. The helicopter pilot also lost his life in the accident, while the bride survived and is recovering in hospital.Dave Fizzy and his wife Jessani boarded a Robinson R66 helicopter after their wedding ceremony in Dawsonville, Georgia on Friday night. According to Atlanta News First, the helicopter was headed to DeKalb-Peachtree Airport as part of a special farewell held after the wedding. However, shortly after takeoff, the plane crashed in a densely forested area near the wedding venue.About 400 guests attended the couple’s wedding at The Revere in Dawsonville.Recalling the celebration, Dave’s father George Fiji said that his son was very happy on his wedding day.He said, “My son was very happy. I was standing there looking at my son and admiring him. He was looking very handsome.”According to family members, Dave and Jason met through church connections in South Carolina and Georgia before their friendship eventually blossomed into a relationship. George described the couple as, “Friends who decided to become life partners.”The helicopter crashed before reaching its destination, following which a major search operation was launched in the forested area.George Fiji said it took several hours for rescue teams to locate the wreckage. “It took them a while to locate the helicopter,” he said.According to the family, Jessani was trapped inside the debris for nearly six hours before emergency responders found her.Describing the heartbreaking scene narrated by his daughter-in-law, George said Jessie realized her husband had died next to her.He said, “When she woke up she saw my son Dave resting on her chest. She saw blood on him and by then his body was completely cold. She’s a nurse, so she knew he was gone.”George said Jason was hit and bruised but survived without any broken bones. “She’s broken, but she’s recovering,” he said.Dave Fiji 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.Before the helicopter took off, George said his son had expressed concerns about deteriorating weather conditions and poor visibility.“Since my son was the pilot, he told the pilot there was zero visibility and when there’s zero visibility like this, we never fly,” George said.According to George, Jesse later told him that the helicopter pilot responded by saying they would fly at a higher altitude.The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the accident and has not yet determined the cause of the accident.As the family mourns the passing of Dave Fiji, George said his Christian faith is helping him cope with the tragedy.He said, “Without God there would be many questions – why? God gave us a perfect marriage, and in a matter of hours everything turned into tragedy. The only place we can find answers and peace is in God.”