Kobe Bryant and daughter, Gianna, killed in helicopter crash
Kobe Bryant was one of 9 people who was killed in a helicopter crash Sunday morning north of Los Angeles. His 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, was also on the helicopter when it crashed.
CALABASAS, Calif (FOX 2) - NBA legend Kobe Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California on Sunday morning, along with eight others. Bryant was 41 years old. His 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, was also killed in the crash.
TMZ Sports reported Kobe was traveling in his private helicopter when it crashed in Calabasas. TMZ said Kobe's wife, Vanessa, was not among those on board. However, FOX Sports learned his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, was on the helicopter with him and eight other people.
John Altobelli, former head coach of the Brewster Whitecaps baseball team and current head coach of the Orange Coast College baseball team, and his wife and daughter were among those killed in the crash, according to a post from the team's Twitter account.
John Altobelli, former head coach of the Brewster Whitecaps baseball team and current head coach of the Orange Coast College baseball team, and his wife and daughter were among those killed in the crash, according to a post from the team's Twitter account.
Orange Coast College, located in Costa Mesa, also issued a statement confirming the deaths of Altobelli, his wife and daughter on Sunday evening.
During a press conference in Los Angeles, officials said the helicopter crashed around 9:45 a.m. PT. Firefighters arrived and found a brush fire had ignited as a result of the crash. Firefighters battled the fire from the ground while others were dropped from a helicopter to look for survivors, but none were found.
Despite the confirmation from the NBA, the city of Los Angeles, and the National Basketball Players Association confirming Kobe Bryant's death, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva would not identify any of the victims of the crash.
In a second news conference Sunday night, Villanueva said authorities are dealing with a “logistical nightmare, in a sense,” because of the remote location of the crash, which makes it difficult to access. He also indicated that mourners who have come to the scene are making the process more difficult, and reminded the public that they should not be in the area around the crash site.
Due to the terrain and location of the crash site, authorities said the recovery effort will likely take several days, which will be followed by identification.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told Fox News the Sikorsky S-76 helicopter crashed under "unknown circumstances." Villanueva said at the Sunday night news conference that there was fog in the area at the time of the crash, causing visibility issues and a low cloud ceiling.
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