Kobe Bryant’s daughter Gianna, 13, among crash dead: LA mayor

Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant attend the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks on December 29, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. Copyright 2019 NBAE Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images/AFP

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Kobe Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter Gianna was among the five fatalities in the helicopter crash which claimed the life of the NBA icon, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti confirmed on Sunday.

“L.A. is grieving with the Bryant family over the loss of Gianna, who perished with her father and friends in today’s tragedy,” Garcetti wrote on Twitter.

Gianna was one of Bryant’s four children with wife Vanessa.

Bryant and Gianna had been flying to a game his daughter was expected to play in when their helicopter crashed, according to US reports.

“The NBA family is devastated by the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a separate statement.

“(Kobe) was generous with the wisdom he acquired and saw it as his mission to share it with future generations of players, taking special delight in passing down his love of the game to Gianna,” Silver added.

© Agence France-Presse