Kobe Bryant's widow began legal action against the company that chartered the helicopter that crashed near Los Angeles on January 26, killing the basketball legend, his 13-year-old daughter and seven others. The lawsuit was filed by Vanessa Bryant with a court of Los Angeles the same day that the city paid a last public tribute to Kobe and Gianna Bryant, in the presence of a bed of stars gathered at the Staples Center.
This complaint relates to the companies Island Express Helicopters and Island Express Holding Corp. as well as the assigns of the helicopter pilot, Ara Zobayan, who also died in the accident, the causes of which are unknown and are under investigation. The other victims are a baseball coach, John Altobelli, his wife Keri and their daughter Alyssa who played basketball in the same club as Gianna, Christina Mauser, assistant coach of the two teenage basketball team, and Sarah and Payton Chester, a mother and daughter.
The device had no technical failure
Investigators at the American Transportation Safety Agency (NTSB) have already established that the helicopter's engine, whose debris was scattered over nearly 200 meters on the hillside, had not failed . They continue to analyze the elements collected on the spot and the flight data to try to determine the circumstances of the tragedy, which occurred while a thick fog covered the area. These investigations will last weeks, if not months, and the final report is not expected for at least a year.
No authorization to fly in bad weather conditions?
The complaint of Vanessa Bryant criticizes in particular the company operating the helicopter for allowing the aircraft to fly in “thick fog and low clouds” on Sunday morning, weather conditions which had prompted the police and other tour operators to keep their helicopters on the ground on their side. Lawyers for the widow believe that the company Island Express Helicopters did not have the necessary authorizations to allow its aircraft to fly without visibility, using only navigation instruments.
Pilot "Ara George Zobayan attempted to maneuver the helicopter forward and upward to exit the clouds, then initiated a turn that precipitated the helicopter against steep terrain at a speed of approximately 290 km / h "Accuses the complaint. The document also claims that Mr. Zobayan was pinned down by US civil aviation in 2015 for flying without respecting visual navigation rules.
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