Vanessa Bryant filed a lawsuit on Monday (February 24) alleging that the helicopter crash that took the lives of her husband Kobe Bryant, their 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and 7 others was “due to negligence by the pilot and the aircraft’s operating company.”
Vanessa is specifically filing the suit against Island Express Helicopters and the survivors of pilot Ara George Zobayan.
The lawsuit continues to say that pilots and law enforcement had been grounded due to the conditions the day of the crash, but the pilot requested – and received – permission to fly. According to the papers filed by Vanessa, Island Express’ FAA operating certificate did not allow pilots to fly during conditions like those on the day of the crash. The pilot had already allegedly been cited by the FAA for violating this rule in the past.
The suit further claims that the pilot “failed to properly monitor the weather prior to the flight, failed to abort the flight when he became aware of the conditions, improperly flew the helicopter into conditions under which he couldn’t navigate by sight, failed to avoid natural obstacles and failed to properly and safely operate the helicopter,” according to THR.
Vanessa Bryant gave a heartbreaking speech at the celebration of life ceremony that took place today.
