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A post shared by Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) on Mar 17, 2019 at 10:41pm PDT

2:00 PM UPDATE: It’s been confirmed that nine people were onboard.

1:00 PM UPDATE: TMZ has confirmed that Kobe’s 13-year-old daughter Gianna Maria Onore was onboard the helicopter and has passed away.

We’re incredibly sad to report that basketball legend Kobe Bryant is among five people who died in a helicopter crash.

The crash happened in the Southern California residential neighborhood of Calabasas, according to ESPN.

Reports have stated that there were no survivors in the crash, which occurred around 10 a.m. this morning. Fire officials stated in a press conference they’re still trying to figure out why the Sikorsky S-76 helicopter crashed.

Kobe was traveling with guests in his private helicopter when it went down. TMZ reports that when emergency personnel responded, they realized nobody on board survived.

His wife, Vanessa Bryant, was not among those on board.

Eyewitnesses told TMZ that the helicopter’s engine sputtered before it went down. Kobe has used a helicopter to travel for years, and he was even known for commuting from Newport Beach to the STAPLES Center in his Sikorsky S-76 chopper.

Kobe is widely considered one of the greatest NBA players of all time. He made 18 All-Star teams during his 20 year career with the Lakers and was a first-round pick in the 1996 draft, winning 5 NBA championships, 2 NBA Finals MVPs and he was the league MVP in ’08, as TMZ notes.

Our hearts go out to his family.

This story is developing…