This archive report was first published on 21 April 2020.
On January 26, a helicopter crash in rugged terrain west of Los Angeles claimed the lives of nine people, including NBA legend Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna.
As the families of the victims continue to mourn, they have also taken steps to hold those responsible accountable. The families of four passengers who were killed in the crash have launched legal proceedings against the firms that owned and operated the chopper, Island Express Helicopters and Island Express Holding Corp.
The lawsuits, filed on Sunday in the Los Angeles Superior Court, accuse the companies of negligence. The complaints also name the estate of the pilot, Ara Zobayan, who was among the victims.
Vanessa Bryant, Kobe's widow, had previously filed a lawsuit against the operators of the helicopter and the estate of the pilot, alleging that the company had allowed the helicopter to fly in "heavy fog and low clouds".
The helicopter was headed to Kobe's Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, where Gianna was set to play. The other victims included another of Gianna's basketball teammates, Payton Chester, and Payton's mother Sarah.
Published on April 21, 2020, at 2:56 PM EAT.
