NBA legend Kobe Bryant and 4 other people, including his 13-year-old daughter Gianna Maria Onore (GiGi), have been killed in a helicopter crash in the hills above Calabasas, California.
Bryant was 41 and is widely considered one of the best NBA players of all time. His daughter was a rising basketball star herself. The two were on their way to Mamba Academy, where GiGi practiced, when the crash occurred, the Los Angeles Times reports.
The source of the crash seems to have been a fire on board the helicopter, a Sikorsky S-76B built in 1991. Bryant would often commute by chopper back in his NBA days, flying from Newport Beach, CA to the Staples Center in downtown LA when he had to.
Eyewitnesses tell the publication that the chopper was flying very low and was heard spluttering before a fire broke out. However, because of heavy fog, it was difficult to actually see it well. The helicopter went down and exploded, and while emergency personnel were quick on the scene, no one survived.
An investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances of the incident. Sikorsky has confirmed that one of its birds was indeed involved in the crash, saying it is cooperating with authorities. The LA Times notes that this particular helicopter had never been involved in any major incident or accident, according to documentation publicly available.
The identities of the other 3 victims have not been made public yet, but TMZ says that, despite reports that former Laker Rick Fox also died on the crash, there is no truth to them.
Kobe Bryant spent 20 years with the Los Angeles Lakers and, until just last week, held the third spot on NBA’s highest-scoring list. He was replaced by LeBron James and flew in person to attend the ceremony honoring him.
Bryant retired in 2016, with the Lakers honoring his achievement on the court by retiring both his jerseys, number 8 and 24. He won 5 NBA championships, 2 NBA Finals MVPs and was in the MVP league in 2008.
“Kobe Bryant was a giant who inspired, amazed, and thrilled people everywhere with his incomparable skill on the court – and awed us with his intellect and humility as a father, husband, creative genius, and ambassador for the game he loved,” L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti says in a statement to the LA Times. “He will live forever in the heart of Los Angeles, and will be remembered through the ages as one of our greatest heroes.”
Bryant is survived by his wife Vanessa and 3 daughters, Natalia, Bianca and Capri.
The source of the crash seems to have been a fire on board the helicopter, a Sikorsky S-76B built in 1991. Bryant would often commute by chopper back in his NBA days, flying from Newport Beach, CA to the Staples Center in downtown LA when he had to.
Eyewitnesses tell the publication that the chopper was flying very low and was heard spluttering before a fire broke out. However, because of heavy fog, it was difficult to actually see it well. The helicopter went down and exploded, and while emergency personnel were quick on the scene, no one survived.
An investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances of the incident. Sikorsky has confirmed that one of its birds was indeed involved in the crash, saying it is cooperating with authorities. The LA Times notes that this particular helicopter had never been involved in any major incident or accident, according to documentation publicly available.
The identities of the other 3 victims have not been made public yet, but TMZ says that, despite reports that former Laker Rick Fox also died on the crash, there is no truth to them.
Kobe Bryant spent 20 years with the Los Angeles Lakers and, until just last week, held the third spot on NBA’s highest-scoring list. He was replaced by LeBron James and flew in person to attend the ceremony honoring him.
Bryant retired in 2016, with the Lakers honoring his achievement on the court by retiring both his jerseys, number 8 and 24. He won 5 NBA championships, 2 NBA Finals MVPs and was in the MVP league in 2008.
“Kobe Bryant was a giant who inspired, amazed, and thrilled people everywhere with his incomparable skill on the court – and awed us with his intellect and humility as a father, husband, creative genius, and ambassador for the game he loved,” L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti says in a statement to the LA Times. “He will live forever in the heart of Los Angeles, and will be remembered through the ages as one of our greatest heroes.”
Bryant is survived by his wife Vanessa and 3 daughters, Natalia, Bianca and Capri.
It is with great sadness that we learn of the death of Kobe Bryant and four others in a helicopter crash in Calabasas. The aircraft went down in a remote field off Las Virgenes around 10:00 this morning. Nobody on the ground was hurt. The FAA and NTSB are investigating.
— City of Calabasas (@CityofCalabasas) January 26, 2020