CALABASAS, CALIFORNIA — One of the greatest athletes to ever play the game of basketball— Kobe Bryant—has died in a helicopter crash in California. <br />The New York Times reports that the 41-year-old retired NBA player and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna tragically lost their lives in the crash in Calabasas on Sunday. <br />CNN reports that Bryant and Gianna were supposed to be at the Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks for a basketball game on Sunday. <br />According to CNN, there was extremely low visibility at the time of the crash and conditions were foggy and cloudy with drizzle. <br /><br />LA County Fire Department Capt. Tony Imbredna said he didn't immediately know whether the Sikorsky S-76B helicopter radioed a distress signal. <br />He told reporters, "individuals that saw the aircraft said it was coming down at a fairly significant rate of speed and impacted the ground on the hillside."<br /><br />According to Los Angeles County sheriff Alex Villanueva at a press conference, Kobe was among 8 passengers traveling aboard the aircraft along with one pilot. All nine people were killed in the accident. <br />According to Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Daryl Osby, the chopper crashed about 30 miles northwest of downtown L.A. and caused a brush fire. <br />Bryant leaves behind his wife and three daughters. His passing has sent shockwaves across the NBA and around the world. Rest in peace Mamba.
