Miracle:Newly wedded couple dismayed as helicopter due to take them to reception crashes in front of them

A recently wedded couple viewed with dismay as a helicopter they had hired to lift them up plunge into the ground right before their eyes.

Damien and Wendy Hussey had wanted to take the chopper to their wedding reception on Friday when it lost control and crashed into the ground in Kinnitty, County Offaly, Ireland.

Miraculously the pilot, whose son died in the Air France crash in 2009, escaped the wreckage unscathed, the Irish Mirror reported.

'We heard the chopper close and it was low to the ground,' said witness Michael Coughlan.

At that point we heard a crash and we heard some metal breaking. We hopped in  a car and headed to the site and there was the pilot escaping the plane.

'He had just a scratch on his arm. It is wonderful how unscathed he was given what happened.'

The happy couple were due to be taken from the local church to the Racket Hall Country House in Tipperary when the accident happened.

Witnesses said the helicopter hit overhead cables as it made its approach.

The Department of Transport's Air Accident Investigation Unit is required to do an examination.