The latest update on the investigation into the Kobe Bryant Helicopter crash incident is that the bodies of all those involved in the Sunday crash have been recovered.
The American National Transportation Safety Board who has been giving updates on the Kobe Bryant Helicopter crash spokesperson, Jennifer Homendy on Tuesday 28th January 2020, in a news conference gave a few new details.
Also, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva confirmed that the roads have reopened but that the crash area remains secured because it is a hazmat site, Deadline reports.
According to the report, Jennifer Homendy said the aircraft was descending at 2,000 feet per minute when it went down, “so we know this was a high-energy-impact crash.”
She noted that the crashed helicopter did not have a Terrain Awareness and Warning System but added that it was not required by law to have one.
Homendy said the NTSB had made a recommendation to the FAA 15 years ago that it “require all existing and new U.S.-registered turbine-powered rotocrafts certificated for six or more passenger seats to be equipped with a Terrain Awareness and Warning System. They did not implement the recommendation. In 2014, we closed the recommendation as unacceptable.”
Homendy said her group will issue a preliminary report in 10 days that will provide “facts only” and will not speculate as to the cause of the accident. She said the NTSB will release its final report in 12 to 18 months, which will include its findings, recommendations and probable cause.
She noted that an iPad and cell phone were recovered from the wreckage today, but investigators don’t know yet whether either belonged to the pilot Ara Zobayan, who died in the crash Sunday along with Bryant, the former Lakers star’s daughter and six others. It also has located maintenance and airworthiness records from the aircraft.
The NTSB has begun interviews with air traffic controllers and the helicopter’s operators and has held a briefing for family members of the deceased. Homendy also noted that the NTSB still has work to do at the crash site, but has turned it over to local authorities.
She also said today’s briefing would be her last about the case.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office reporting on the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash, had stated that all of the bodies have been recovered from the site of the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others. Autopsies on the bodies have begun.
The Coroner’s office statement on the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash incident reads:
“The bodies of the nine people who died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas on Sunday have been recovered, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner announced.
On Sunday afternoon, personnel from the department’s Special Operations Response Team (SORT) recovered three bodies from the helicopter wreckage located in the 4200 block of Las Virgenes Road in Calabasas.
The next day, 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.
Currently, investigators are actively working on identifying the decedents. Additionally, body examinations are in progress.
The Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner will provide immediate updates on the names of the decedents as soon as they are officially verified and their next of kin have been notified,” the statement added.
Since the sad news of the death of Kobe Bryant and others, the world especially the sports world are still mourning, as fans have taken to their various social media platforms to share their tribute to the LA Lakers legend.