Basketball icon Kobe Bryant, teenage daughter among 9 killed in Calabasas’ helicopter crash

CALIFORNIA - Nine people, including US basketball legend Kobe Bryant and his teenage daughter Gianna, have been killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California in the United States (US).

The incident occurred when the helicopter came down and burst into flames. 

Bryant was traveling with his 13-year-old daughter and seven other passengers and crew when their helicopter slammed into a rugged hillside in Calabasas, west of Los Angeles.

The cause of the crash was unknown, while the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have sent teams to probe into the incident which could take months.

Bryant, a five-time NBA champion and two-time Olympic gold medallist, is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players in history, an iconic figure who became one of the faces of his sport during a glittering two-decade career with the Los Angeles Lakers.