Kobe Bryant Dies In Helicopter Crash: Chilling Flight Tower Audio Revealed
Jan. 27 2020, Updated 7:38 p.m. ET
Flight tower audio from Kobe Bryant’s deadly helicopter crash revealed the last harrowing minutes before he and everyone else aboard were killed on Sunday, January 26.
The Lakers star, 41, and his daughter, Gianna, 13, were among the nine people killed when his private helicopter crashed into a mountain in Calabasas, Calif. shortly before 10 a.m.
According to the flight tower audio obtained by RadarOnline.com, the pilot was in constant communication with several airports as fog hindered the doomed flight.
The NBA legend was not heard on the recordings, only a pilot and the air traffic control tower employees, advising the helicopter to hold in the bad weather as they tried to land.
“Hold outside Burbank, I have an aircraft,” the recording revealed the tower employee advising Bryant’s helicopter during the communication.
“He’s been holding for about 15 minutes,” a flight tower employee said about Bryant’s helicopter around 9:30 a.m.
As the flight towers try to assist in the helicopter landing, they are cautioned about the “overcast” weather and their low flight level, meaning they were dangerously close to the ground.
“You’re still too low level for flight following at this time,” the flight toward warned the pilot on the audio.
Bryant’s helicopter was reportedly traveling north along the 118 freeway, turned west and followed the 101 freeway. After hitting heavy fog around 9:40 a.m., the helicopter turned south and made a steep climb from 1200 feet to 2000 feet.
Moments later they reportedly flew into the mountain at 1700 feet and the vehicle was traveling at 161 knots.
All nine people aboard the helicopter died.
Scroll through the gallery for more details about Kobe Bryant’s shocking death.
Listen To The Audio
“Ok we’ll continue holding,” Bryant’s pilot said on the audio of the flight tower communications that took place shortly before the deadly crash on January 26.
No Survivors
“When authorities arrived at the mountainside area, they found no survivors in the fiery helicopter wreckage,” the Coroner’s office said in a statement to RadarOnline.com.
Recovery
“At this time, personnel from DMEC's Special Operations Response Team (SORT) are recovering the bodies of the people who died in the crash,” the statement to RadarOnline.com read.
Emergency Response
Chief Daniel Osby from the Lost Hills Sheriff’s station explained what emergency responders found at the crash scene during his press conference. “Upon arrival our firefighters discovered approximately a quarter acre brush fire that resulted from the crash on the hillside. The LAFD initial response was 15 pieces of apparatus and 56 personnel that consisted of paramedics, heavy rescue, truck company, hand crews, aircraft, and a chief officer to oversee the crash.”
Dad’s Duty
Kobe and his daughter were on their way to a basketball tournament together.
Dedicated
Bryant played for the Los Angeles Lakers for his entire 20-year career.
Family Man
Kobe and Vanessa had four daughters - Gianna, Natalia, Bianka and Capri.