Iconic NBA Star Kobe Bryant Among Dead in Fiery Helicopter Accident

Iconic NBA Star Kobe Bryant Among those Dead in Fiery Helicopter Accident

Legendary NBA player Kobe Bryant, has died in a California helicopter crash. ... and new information says his 13-year-old daughter is also dead.

Bryant was among at least four people traveling in his private helicopter over Calabasas in California on Sunday morning when a fire apparently broke out, causing the chopper to reel out of control, as first reported by TMZ Sports and later confirmed by network news affiliates in Southern California.

"Unfortunately there were no survivors," Los Angeles County Fire Captain Tony Imbrenda told reporters Sunday.

A call for a downed helicopter in Calabasas went out at 10:01 a.m. local time, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Local hikers and bikers apparently reported the downed helicopter.

The cause of the crash of the chopper owned by Bryant is under investigation.

Bryant, who was 41 years old, starred for two decades with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning five championships and earning 18 All-Star Game berths before his retirement after the 2016 season. He and wife Vanessa had four daughters - Gianna, Natalia and Bianca and newborn Capri. But Gianna was with her father on the way to a basketball event when her life was lost as well.


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Mike Fisher
MIKE FISHER

Mike Fisher - as a newspaper beat writer and columnist and on radio and TV, where he is an Emmy winner - has covered the NBA and the Dallas Mavericks since 1990. He has for more than 20 years served as the overseer of DallasBasketball.com, the granddaddy of Mavs news websites.