Kobe Bryant died in a helicoper crash in Calabasas Sunday morning, NBA officially confirms.
Kobe Bryant has died in a helicopter crash in California aged 41. The NBA legend was travelling with four people in his private helicopter when it crashed in Calabasas, 40 miles north-west of Los Angeles, on Sunday morning.
Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter, nicknamed Gigi, was also onboard the private helicopter when it went down on Sunday, reps for the former basketball player told TMZ Sports. Five people are reported to have died in the accident.
A call for a downed helicopter went out at 10.01am, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said. Firefighters attended the scene and put out the flames.
“Unfortunately there were no survivors,” Tony Imbrenda, the Los Angeles County Fire captain, told reporters. Imbrenda could not confirm who was on board or who the helicopter belonged to, but it is reportedly Bryant’s aircraft.
Kobe has famously used a helicopter to travel for years -- dating back to when he played for the Lakers. He was known for commuting from Newport Beach, CA to the STAPLES Center in DTLA in his Sikorsky S-76 chopper.
Bryant is considered one of greatest basketball players of all time. He became a legend at Los Angeles Lakers, spending his entire 20-year career with the team, becoming a five-time NBA champion and twice being named finals MVP.
NBA communications
Football Clubs and stars pay tribute to Kobe Bryant:
Messi: "I have no words... All my love for Kobe's family and friends. It was a pleasure to meet him and share good times together. He was a genius like few others."
Source: m.allfootballapp.com