Kobe Bryant death: All 9 bodies recovered from California hillside, it was a high-impact crash, say officials
The last of the bodies from the tragic helicopter crash that killed Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant and eight others have been recovered from the crash site in Calabasas in California, reports said. The rugged terrain made the operation difficult.
Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others were killed including the pilot, Ara Zobayan, as the Sikorsky S-76B crashed onto the hillside. Bryant was on his way to attend a game in which his daughter was participating. Two Orange County coaches along with the wife and daughter of one of the coaches, a mother and a daughter were also killed.
"The search continued for the other six helicopter occupants. Soon after, their bodies were located, removed from the crash site and transported to the department's Forensic Science Center," the coroner's office said in a statement, as reported by ABC 7. The victims' bodies will now be examined, officials said.
The site of the crash is still secured and is a hazmat site, according to Deadline. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva confirmed that the roads have reopened. An iPad and a cell phone were recovered from the site but investigators have not confirmed who it belonged to.
In a statement, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner said, "On Sunday afternoon, personnel from the department’s Special Operations Response Team (SORT) recovered three bodies from the helicopter wreckage located in the 4200 block of Las Virgenes Road in Calabasas. The next day, the search continued for the other six helicopter occupants. Soon after, their bodies were located, removed from the crash site and transported to the department’s Forensic Science Center. Currently, investigators are actively working on identifying the decedents. Additionally, body examinations are in progress."
National Transportation Safety Board member Jennifer Homendy said it was a "high-impact crash" and said the NTSB would release their final report in the timeframe of a year to 18 months.