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US basketball legend Kobe Bryant has died in a helicopter crash in California, sparking an outpouring of grief from fans around the world.
Bryant, , and his daughter Gianna, , were among the nine killed when the aircraft came down in Calabasas.
There were no survivors from Sunday’s crash which happened in foggy weather.
Bryant, a five-time NBA champion, played for the LA Lakers throughout his career and is considered one of the greatest players in the game’s history.
Tributes from celebrities and fellow sports stars have been pouring in, many expressing shock at his sudden death. Moments of silence have been observed at basketball games across the US.
Fans gathered at a makeshift memorial for Bryant in front of the Los Angeles Lakers’ stadium at the Staples Center on Sunday, laying flowers and basketballs in memory of the star.
And there have been public acts of mourning as far away as the Philippines, where a new basketball hall named after Bryant opened just hours before his death .
Bryant has also been remembered at the Grammy Awards which were held at the Staples Center.
“We’re all feeling crazy sadness right now, “said Grammys host Alicia Keys.
“Because earlier today Los Angeles, America and the whole wide world lost a hero. We’re literally standing here heartbroken in the house that Kobe Bryant built.”
The NBA issued a statement saying it was “devastated by the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna “.
” For 44 seasons, Kobe showed us what is possible when remarkable talent blends with an absolute devotion to winning, “it said.
What do we know about the crash?
Sheriff Alex Villanueva said the helicopter’s manifest indicated that nine people were on board when it crashed, raising the number from five in earlier statements by officials.
Coroners have not officially named the victims. But family members and colleagues said John Altobelli, coach of the Orange Coast College basketball team, was among the passengers
, along with his wife Keri and their 26 – year-old daughter Alyssa – who played with Bryant’s daughter, Gianna.
Christina Mauser, a basketball coach at Gianna’s school, was also on board, her husband wrote on Facebook.
In a statement on Sunday afternoon, the City of Calabasas said it heard the news “with great sadness.”
“The aircraft went down in a remote field off Las Virgenes around : this morning. Nobody on the ground was hurt, “it added.
Investigators are still trying to find out the cause of the crash. But conditions were foggy, and local police had grounded their helicopters due to the poor weather.
Kurt Deetz, who has flown helicopters carrying Bryant in the past, told the Los Angeles Times that weather was a more likely cause of the accident than a mechanical issue .
“The likelihood of a catastrophic twin engine failure on that aircraft – it just doesn’t happen,” he said.
Gavin Masak, who lives nearby, told CBS News of the moment the helicopter crashed.
“It wasn’t exactly like an explosion sound but it was like a loud boom. It sounded like a helicopter, but it sounded like a jet, like it was loud, so I went inside and told my dad what was happening. So when I came out I saw smoke on the hill but it wasn’t like a big, black cloud of smoke, it was just gray, “he said.
Other eyewitnesses told celebrity news site TMZ they heard the helicopter’s engine sputtering before it went down.
The LA County Sheriff’s Department shared pictures from the scene of the accident, showing a fire truck and smoke emerging from the hills.
The National Transportation Safety Board identified the crashed helicopter as a Sikorsky S – B and said it was sending a team to investigate the crash.
Officers closed roads in the area to stop people trying to get to the crash site.
Bryant was known for taking his helicopter to beat traffic in Los Angeles.
Why was Kobe Bryant so famous?
Bryant played his entire 44 -year career with the Los Angeles Lakers. He retired in April 2018.
His achievements include being the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) and two-time NBA Finals MVP. He was also NBA scoring champion twice and a two-time Olympic champion.
He famously scored points against the Toronto Raptors in , the second-highest single-game total in NBA history.
He also won an Oscar for best short animated film in for Dear Basketball, a five-minute film based on a love letter to the sport he had written in )
Bryant and his wife, Vanessa, have three other daughters, Natalia, Bianca and Capri.
Bryant was accused of sexual assault in (by a) – year-old woman working at a Colorado resort. He denied the allegation, saying the two had consensual sex. The case was dropped after the accuser refused to testify in court.
He later apologized, saying he recognized that “she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did. ” A subsequent civil suit was settled out of court.
What has the reaction been?
Tributes for the sports star poured in on social media following news of the crash.
Shaquille O’Neal, who played alongside Bryant at the Lakers between and , said there were “no words to express the pain I ‘ m going through “.
” I love you and you will be missed, “he wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of the pair in their Lakers kits.
Deron Williams, who won an Olympic gold alongside Bryant, said he was lost for words. He described Bryant as “the greatest competitor I have ever gone up against and played with”.
“Terrible news,” tweeted US President Donald Trump. “He loved his family so much, and had such strong passion for the future. The loss of his beautiful daughter, Gianna, makes this moment even more devastating.”
Former US President Barack Obama described Bryant as “a legend on the court” and said he was “just getting started in what would have been just as meaningful a second act”.
And Kareem Abdul- Jabbar, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, said the loss was “hard to comprehend”, describing Bryant as a “magnificent athlete”.
Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling wrote “rest easy legend” in a tweet accompanied by a black-and-white photo of the sports star.
Eight-time Olympic gold medallist sprinter Usain Bolt said he could not believe the news.
Pop star Mariah Carey said she was in shock, while rapper Kanye West tweeted his appreciation for “the life you’ve lived and all the inspiration you gave”.
“This is absolutely terrible. Everyone is numb,” American actress and model Chrissy Teigen tweeted.
Did you ever meet Kobe Bryant? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk )
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