UPDATE: NBA star, Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter die in helicopter crash

 

Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on Sunday morning.

The 41-year-old former Los Angeles Lakers basketball star’s death was first confirmed by TMZ, according to MailOnline.

The outlet reported that Bryant was traveling with four other people – including daughter ‘Gi-Gi’ – in his private Sikorsky S-76 helicopter when it crashed, killing everyone onboard.

Officials with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department responded to reports of the crash near Las Virgenes Rd and Willow Glen St in Calabasas at around 10am after a fire broke out and a group of mountain bikers spotted the smoke.

The cause of the crash is under investigation. Witnesses reported hearing the helicopter’s engine sputtering before it went down near the home of Kourtney Kardashian.

A flight plan indicated the helicopter took off from John Wayne Airport in Orange County at 9.06am PST and the last signal was received from the aircraft at 9.45am.

Sources told TMZ Bryant was headed to his Mamba Academy in Thousand Oaks for basketball practice.

READ: JUST IN: Basketball star Kobe Bryant dies in helicopter crash

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that another player and parent were also on the helicopter.

Kobe and Gianna are survived by his wife Vanessa and their three other daughters – Natalia, Bianca and Capri, who was born last summer.

News of the NBA legend’s death sent shockwaves in the sports world and beyond – marking an abrupt ending to one of most indelible public lives in modern American history.

Bryant was widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

The Philadelphia native was a first-round pick in the 1996 draft and spent his entire 20-year career with the Lakers, winning five NBA championships, two NBA Finals MVP titles and 18 All-Star titles before retiring in 2016.

Bryant was on 15 All-NBA Teams, 12 All-Defensive Teams and represented the USA at the Olympics in 2008.

He was the first guard in NBA history to play at least 20 seasons and was the first and only player in Lakers history to have both of his jersey numbers – 8 and 24 – retired.

He is currently ranked fourth for all-time regular season scoring and all-time postseason scoring.