Just hours after a wedding in north Georgia, a helicopter carrying the newlyweds crashed in Dawson County late Friday night, killing the pilot and the groom while injuring the bride, news sites reported.
The groom, 25-year-old Dave Fiji, of Snellville, was a pilot for Delta Airlines, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported, citing local TV news reports. The name of the helicopter pilot was not immediately available Monday morning.
The bride, identified as Jesni Sam, was trapped in the wreckage for six hours before rescue crews found the heavily wooded crash site, the groom’s father said, Atlanta News First reported.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash. News sites reported that Fiji had concerns about the poor visibility in the area, possibly because of fog, but the pilot reportedly said the copter would fly at a higher altitude to avoid potential problems.
The Robinson R66 helicopter was bound for DeKalb-Peachtree Airport. It was intended as a special sendoff for the couple after the huge wedding and celebration, which included more than 400 guests at a Dawsonville venue, news sites noted.
The chopper is owned by Prestige Helicopters, which over the last 40 years has had a spotless record for its aircraft, Atlanta News First reported.
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Photo: A Robinson R66 helicopter, similar to the one reportedly involved in the crash. (AdobeStock)
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Georgia
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