Investigations into the tragic California helicopter crash on Sunday morning have been ongoing as the National Transportation Safety Board seeks to determine the reason behind nine deaths, including Kobe Bryant‘s. The cause of the crash has not been revealed, but the LA County Medical Examiner-Coroner has released the cause of death for two of the victims.
Pilot Ara Zobayan and baseball coach John Altobelli both died from blunt force trauma, per a Wednesday press release by the medical examiner. Zobayan was 50 years old and had been Bryant’s pilot numerous times. Altobelli was 56 years old and en route to a basketball tournament with his wife and daughter.
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As of Tuesday afternoon, all of the bodies had been recovered, four of which were identified by their fingerprints: Bryant, Zobayan, Altobelli, and Sarah Chester. Authorities are still working on identifying the final five. The bodies that have been identified are available to be released to the next of kin.
The recovery efforts have been successful as the wreckage has been removed and taken away via trailer. The wreckage was reportedly being delivered to a location where it could be further examined by the authorities.
According to Sheriff Alex Villanueva, the road closures surrounding the crash site have been lifted following the wreckage being removed. The crash site, however, is not accessible due to being a hazmat scene. The security detail will remain intact and it is still a misdemeanor crime to access the site.
The Special Operations Response Team spent time on Sunday trying to recover all of the bodies, but they were only able to find three. The search was paused due to darkness and safety concerns, but they resumed on Monday with the goal of tracking down the remaining six.
The renewed efforts on Monday were met with success as the SORT personnel found the remaining victims. All nine bodies were ultimately transported to the Forensic Science Center for identification and examination. Positively identifying all nine victims is a priority for the team at the Forensic Science Center, but they are also trying to determine the cause of death for all of the victims.
The progress has been methodical, and the updates are being provided on a regular basis. Learning that Zobayan and Altobelli were both killed by blunt force trauma is evidence of that fact.
(Photo Credit: James Anderson/National Transportation Safety Board via Getty Images)
