LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. — The remains of Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were released by the coroner's office Monday along with those of the seven others killed in the helicopter crash in Calabasas last week.
According to the coroner's office, the remains of all nine victims were released to their families.
In addition to Bryant, 41, and his 13-year-old daughter, killed in the crash were:
-- Ara Zobayan, 50, the instrument-rated pilot who was flying the helicopter;
-- John Altobelli, 56, the longtime baseball coach at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, along with his 46-year-old wife, Keri, and their 14-year- old daughter Alyssa, a teammate of Gianna;
-- Sarah Chester, 45, and her 13-year-old daughter Payton, who also played with Gianna and Alyssa; and
-- Christina Mauser, 38, an assistant coach to Bryant on the Mamba Sports Academy team.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation. It's not yet known if there were any mechanical issues with the helicopter, a Sikorsky S-76. But Kurt Deetz, who used to fly Bryant in the chopper, told the Los Angeles Times that weather was the more likely cause.
“The likelihood of a catastrophic twin-engine failure on that aircraft — it just doesn’t happen,” Deetz said.
A typical preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board could take 10 days, but a final report may take up to a year, according to AP.
