Kobe Bryant death: Difficulties in retrieving bodies from helicopter crash wreckage as police bid to keep fans away
Authorities have begun their attempts to retrieve the bodies of the nine victims of a helicopter crash in Los Angeles that included legendary basketball player Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter.
The Sikorsky S-76B helicopter crashed on Sunday after flying in heavy fog, killing all passengers and crew on board after it came down in the Calabasas region west of LA.
But although all of those travelling in the aircraft have been identified, authorities have not been able to retrieve their bodies due to difficulties in reaching the mountainside crash site, meaning that they have been forced to construct a new road in order to reach the wreckage with the relevant vehicles.
LA County sheriff Alex Villanueva confirmed on Monday night that although efforts to do so were now underway, it will take some time for the bodies to be recovered and officially identified.
“The coroner… started recovering human remains last night and they’re continuing (that process) for the next several days,” he said.
“It’s rugged terrain and it’s a very steep hill. In fact, they had to bulldoze a road just to get a normal-size vehicle to the location, so it is very difficult.”
As of Monday night, three of the nine bodies had been removed by coroners, while deputies from the LA County Sheriff’s department were seen patrolling the scene on horseback due to fears that trespassers and looters could spoil the sensitive evidence.
Sherriff Villanueva warned anyone who was considering approaching the crash scene that it will be “a misdemeanour for anyone to unlawfully access the crash site”, which spans an area larger than a football field of “about 500 and 600 feet” and contains large pieces of debris from the destroyed helicopter.
Investigators continue to work in an effort to discover what caused the accident, which saw the helicopter plummet from 2,300 feet into the forest terrain. The pilot, Ara Zobayan, received special clearance to fly in heavy fog despite some other aircrafts being grounded by the weather conditions, and data revealed that he increased the altitude of the helicopter from 1,400 feet to 2,300 feet.
But radar data shows that it then made a descending left turn before becoming untraceable, and the National Transport Safety Bureau confirmed that the wreckage was found at 1,085 feet above sea level.
Zobayan, who has been described by those who knew him as an “experienced” pilot, had told air traffic controllers that he was climbing in order to avoid a layer of cloud shortly before communication was lost.
Tributes have continued to be paid to 41-year-old Bryant as well as his daughter Gianna and the seven other victims, which included Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife Keri and daughter Alyssa, as well as K-8 private school basketball coach Christina Mauser. Sarah Chester and her daughter, Payton, were also among the victims.
A vigil was held on Monday night outside the Staples Center, home of the LA Lakers who Bryant turned out for throughout his entire 20-year professional career, with thousands attending to pay their respects and leave messages of condolence among flowers and other memorabilia.
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