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UPDATEx7: Kobe Bryant Dies At Age 41 In Helicopter Crash, Daughter Killed As Well, Fog Caused Issues For Helicopter

January 26, 2020 | Posted by Ashish
Kobe Bryant Kobe Bryant

UPDATEx7: TMZ reports that the weather in Los Angeles on Sunday morning was extremely foggy, so much so that even LAPD air support was grounded.

The helicopter that Kobe Bryant was on circled the area above the Los Angeles Zoo at least six times at low altitude, possibly in an attempt to wait for the fog to clear. The pilot contacted the Burbank Airport control tower at 9:30AM PT and they were aware that the chopper was circling for about 15 minutes.

At around 9:40AM the chopper turned toward a mountainous area and the pilot began to rapidly climb from 1200 feet to 2000 feet. Shortly after that, the chopper flew into a mountain at 1700 square feet.

UPDATEx6: Officials have confirmed that nine people were on the helicopter including the pilot, Kobe Bryant, and his daughter. None of the passengers survived. An investigation is underway on why the helicopter crashed.

UPDATEx5: President Barack Obama has reacted to Kobe Bryant’s death, tweeting: “Kobe was a legend on the court and just getting started in what would have been just as meaningful a second act. To lose Gianna is even more heartbreaking to us as parents. Michelle and I send love and prayers to Vanessa and the entire Bryant family on an unthinkable day.”

UPDATEx4: Shaquille O’Neal, arguably Kobe Bryant’s most notable teammate, has reacted to the news of Bryant’s death, tweeting: “There’s no words to express the pain Im going through with this tragedy of loosing my neice Gigi & my brother @kobebryant I love u and u will be missed. My condolences goes out to the Bryant family and the families of the other passengers on board. IM SICK RIGHT NOW”

Shaq and Kobe had a relationship full of ups and downs, winning three NBA Championships together as members of the Los Angeles Lakers but also famously feuding behind-the-scenes during their years together.

UPDATEx3: Shortly after the news of Kobe Bryant’s death, rumors on social media began circulating that Bryant’s former Lakers teammate Rick Fox also died in the helicopter crash. Fox’s attorney has confirmed that Fox was not on the helicopter and is alive and well.

UPDATEx2: President Trump has reacted to the news of Kobe Bryant’s death, tweeting: “Reports are that basketball great Kobe Bryant and three others have been killed in a helicopter crash in California. That is terrible news!”

UPDATE: TMZ has posted an update to their earlier story, noting that in addition to Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna ‘GiGi’ Maria, was also killed in the Calabasas helicopter crash. She was only thirteen. They were on their way to the Mamba Academy in Thousand Oaks for basketball practice at the time.

Original: In stunning and tragic news, TMZ reports that NBA legend Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash on Sunday morning. He was only 41 years old. The three other people on the helicopter also died.

Kobe’s wife, Vanessa Bryant, was reportedly not on the helicopter.

Eyewitnesses reportedly could hear the helicopter engine sputtering before it went down.

Kobe was a regular with flying in helicopters, often using them to commute from Newport Beach, CA to the Staples Center when he was playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Kobe is, of course, considered one of the greatest NBA players ever. He won five NBA Championships with the Lakers, as well as two NBA Finals MVPs and a league MVP. He played all 20 seasons of his career with the Lakers.

In 2018, Kobe won an Academy Award for his short film, Dear Basketball.

We would like to send our condolences to the family and friends of Kobe Bryant.

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