Mcheza Kikapu mstaafu nchini Marekani, Kobe Bryant 'Mamba' amefariki katika ajali ya Helikopta iliyotokea leo huko California.
Kobe mwenye miaka 41 akiwa na binti yake Gianna walikuwa miongoni mwa watu watano walikuwa wanasafri katika helikopta hiyo inayomilikiwa na Kobe ambayo imeanguka baada ya kuanza kuwaka moto angani.
Inaelezwa kuwa walikuwa wakielekea kwenye mazoezi katika shule yake ya mpira wa kikapu iitwayo Mamba Academy.
Polisi wanasema wanaendelea na uchunguzi kutokana na ajali hiyo iliyotokea katika eneo la Calabasas na kwamba waliokuwemo ndani ya ndege wote wamefariki.
Kobe alichezea timu ya Los Angeles Lakers kwa miaka yote 20 ya 'career' yake hadi alipostaafu mwaka 2016.
Mafanikio yake ni pamoja na kuwa MVP kwenye ligi ya NBA mwaka 2008 na kuwa mshindi wa Olympics mara mbili.
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US basketball legend Kobe Bryant has been killed in a helicopter crash in California, US media report.
Bryant was traveling in a private helicopter when it burst into flames above the city of Calabasas, according to the reports.
The LA County Sheriff's department said that five people died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas on Sunday, with no survivors.
It did not immediately publish any names.
It said it received reports of the crash at about 10:00 local time (18:00 GMT).
Five-time NBA champion Bryant, 41, played his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers. He retired in April 2016.
Bryant's achievements include being the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player and two-time NBA Finals MVP. He was also a two-time NBA scoring champion and a two-time Olympic champion.
He also won an Oscar for a best short animated film in 2018 for Dear Basketball, a five-minute film based on a love letter to the sport he had written in 2015.
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Source: BBC