All 9 Bodies Recovered from the Helicopter Crash Site that Claimed the Life of Kobe and Gianna Bryan
With most of us still trying to wrap our heads around the horrific accident that claimed the life of NBA legend Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, along with six of their friends and their pilot, their families can now begin planning their memorials.
Their helicopter crashed Sunday morning after encountering foggy conditions. The crash caused a brush fire and made it hard for recovery crews to access the remote area. Today, all of the fallen have been recovered.
ABC6 reports "recovery efforts proved difficult in the rugged terrain near Las Virgenes Road and Willow Glen Street, according to the Los Angeles County medical examiner. Investigators were able to reach the crash site by ATVs Monday morning, one day after three bodies were recovered from the scene.
"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.
Investigators will now conduct body examinations on the victims, officials said."
The other victims have been identified as:
John Altobelli was the head baseball coach at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa. He also played for the University of Houston. His wife Keri and their daughter Alyssa who was a teammate of Gianna Bryant's.
Christina Mauser was a basketball coach at Harbor Day School in Newport Beach, where Kobe's daughter attended school.
Sarah Chester and her young teen daughter Payton.
Ara Zobayan was the pilot in Sunday's crash. FAA records show he received his commercial pilot certificate in 2007.
The outpour of love and support for Bryant's family, along with the Altobelli, Mauser, Chester and Zobayan families, has been tremendous. The world is mourning these deaths and holding their loved ones a little tighter because. . . tomorrow isn't promised.