Autopsies of the fatal helicopter crash that took the life of Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven other people, were released on Friday, revealing there was no alcohol or drugs in the pilot’s system.
The Los Angeles County coroner’s office released the autopsy of the fatal crash, which made a big impact on the NBA and the world of sports in general. All nine passengers sustained immediately fatal injuries after the helicopter slammed into a hillside outside Los Angeles last January 26 while Kobe was on his way to a tournament at his Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks where Giannas was going to play.
“These injuries are rapidly if not instantly fatal,” wrote Juan Carrillo, senior deputy medical examiner, in Bryant’s report, via AP News.
Just like Kobe, the rest of the passengers almost certainly were immediately dead due to blunt trauma. The report provides raw details about the accident, including where Kobe’s body was found, where Gianna’s body was found and the state they had when rescuers found them.
This was and still is a tragedy. It’ll take plenty of years for the NBA world to overcome this accident. Kobe’s death left a mark on everybody, from players, the media, coaches, everybody in the league is still mourning his death.
A final report will not be released in months. The National Transportation Safety Board has not concluded what caused the crash but they said there was no sign of mechanical failure in the Sikorsky S-76.
