The company that owned the helicopter that crashed and killed NBA legend, Kobe Bryant and seven other passengers, Island Express has allegedly claimed that Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gigi knew flying could result in an accident and therefore, Vanessa Bryant has no case.
According to the report obtained from TMZ, Island Express filed an answer to Vanessa’s wrongful death lawsuit and, they threw in every argument in the book, including Act of God.
Island Express says in its answer, “Kobe Bryant and GB [Gigi] had actual knowledge of all of the circumstances, particular dangers, and an appreciation of the risks involved and the magnitude thereof, and proceeded to encounter a known risk, and voluntarily assumed the risk of the accident, injury … thereby barring or reducing [Vanessa’s] claim for damages.”
Island Express says it’s not responsible for the crash because it was an Act of God. Well, blinding fog is definitely an act of God. Flying into it at 180 MPH is not.
They also blamed the crash on the passengers — in this case Kobe and Gigi, saying their lawsuit should be thrown out because they were negligent.
Island Express said the accident was the result “of an unavoidable accident.” Turning the helicopter around before going into the fog, or going very slow as the pilot ascended or descended might have made it avoidable.
Helicopter flying is “inherently dangerous” and someone like the pilot should have told them, but it’s not the company’s responsibility, they added.
Fans of the late LA Lakers star, are already faulting the company for such claims, putting all the blames on a 13-year-old girl and her father when the pilot ought to know more than those on board with all his flying experience.