02/24/2020 - 16:06
- Clarín.com
- sports
Vanessa, the widow of Kobe Bryant, sued Island Express Helicopters and Island Express Holding Corp, the helicopter company in which her husband, daughter Gianna and seven others died on the last January 26, for wrongful death. The news was known minutes before the memorial will begin for the Los Angeles Lakers star at the Staples Center.
Filed in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, it consists of 27 charges of general, economic and punitive damages. The Bryant family's lawyers allege that Ara Zobayan, the pilot and who also died in the accident, did not "use ordinary attention when piloting the helicopter" and was "negligent."
Kobe Bryant and Vanessa, his wife, when they were all smiles (AP).
“The negligent breach in its duty of Island Express Helicopters caused the injuries and damages reported in this document. The death of Kobe Bryant was a direct result of Zobayan's negligent conduct, for which the defendant Island Express Helicopters is indirectly responsible in all aspects, ”says the lawsuit.
The decision to initiate legal actions came after it was verified that the climatic conditions were far from ideal and that, even so, the pilot decided to undertake the journey in which Kobe and his daughter would die. And it is pointed out that the ship was moving 180 miles per hour in dense fog.
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Vanessa Bryant's lawyers also ask for damage due to terror prior to the impact, damage due to the emotional trauma Kobe and Gianna suffered while the pilot struggled to get out of the clouds seconds before the crash.
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The demand of the Kobe family was not surprising, although it did attract attention that much of the focus was placed on Ara Zobayan, a character used to transport hundreds of celebrities in the Los Angeles area and who, they say, had established an excellent relationship with the basketball player.
Of Armenian origin, the pilot had flown the day before the tragedy on an air route that had the same origin (Orange County) and the same destination (Ventura County). Although his decision to fly despite poor visibility conditions resulted in experts and other pilots wondering if he ignored what the good judgment indicated or if any pressure to transport the superastro, who was his client, affected the accident fatal.