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Basketball superstar Kobe Bryant, 41, and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna are among nine people to have died after their helicopter crashed and burst into flames on a California mountainside.

The accident, which occurred on Sunday morning, also claimed the lives of seven others.

KTLA confirmed the pilot Ara Zobayan was being mourned by those close to him on social media.

Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, 56, his daughter Alyssa and wife Keri were also among those who died, Altobelli’s brother Tony told CNN.

Mother and daughter Sarah and Payton Chester were also killed, family and friends confirmed.

Harbor Day School assistant coach Christina Mauser is also among the victims, with her husband posting an emotional message on social media.

(Image: London Entertainment / SplashNews.com)

Air traffic reports show that the chopper circled for more than 15 minutes before its final, fatal descent around 21 miles (35km) from downtown Los Angeles. An investigation is ongoing.

Kobe and his daughter, a rising basketball star, are believed to have been on their way to practice in nearby Thousand Oaks.

Gianna, usually known as GiGi, regularly attended LA Lakers games with her father.

The chopper is said to have caught fire after going down, as emergency services battled in vain to save those on board.

(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Bryant regularly used his Sikorsky S-76 helicopter to travel to and from matches at the Staples Centre, the LA Lakers' home stadium.

Judging by the flight path taken, the chopper carrying Bryant circled at least 10 times over a period of 15 minutes before crashing, with Los Angeles experiencing foggy conditions all day.

His wife Vanessa is not believed to have been involved in the accident.

(Image: Instagram)

Los Angeles Police Department have confirmed conditions were not suitable for flying when Kobe Bryant's helicopter crashed.

Foggy conditions blanketed the area and a spokesman for the force has confirmed flights from the Air Support division were grounded as a result.

"The weather situation did not meet our minimum standards for flying," spokesman Joe Rubenstein said, reports CBS.

"The fog was enough that we were not flying."

Rubenstein confirmed there must be at least two miles of visibility and an 800-foot cloud ceiling for the department to take flight.

(Image: Instagram account @timhortonphot)

The married couple shared three other daughters, Natalia and Bianca and their newborn Capri.

The son of former NBA player Joe Bryant, he started his career for the Lakers in 1996 after becoming the first guard to be drafted straight out of high school by the Hornets, who immediately traded him.

He grew up in Philadelphia, and had attended Lower Merion High School in the state of Pennsylvania.

(Image: gigibryant2/Instagram)

Kobe and wife Vanessa were first introduced when Vanessa was working as a background model on the set of a music video.

Sportsman Kobe was 21 while Vanessa was 17 years old and still a senior at high school.

Eight weeks before the tragic helicopter crash that ended his life, Kobe paid tribute to Vanessa on their milestone 20th anniversary.

"On this day 20 years ago I met my best friend, my Queen @vanessabryant I decided to take her on a date to Disneyland tonight to celebrate old school style (pre 4princesses) I love you my mamacita per sempre," he wrote alongside a throwback picture of them.

(Image: Getty Images) (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

In 2019, Kobe announced the birth of their fourth daughter, Capri Kobe.

The couples other three other daughters are Natalia Diamante, Gianna Maria-Onore, and Bianka Bella.

Their eldest, Natalia, turned 17 years old a week before his shocking death.

Tributes flooded in after news of the sporting legend's death broke on social media.

Donald Trump tweeted: “Reports are that basketball great Kobe Bryant and three others have been killed in a helicopter crash in California. That is terrible news.”

(Image: London Entertainment / SplashNews.com)

Former England striker Gary Lineker wrote: "Oh no. How awful. One of the greatest sportsmen of our lifetime. Utterly tragic", while current England forward Raheem Sterling wrote: "Rest easy Legend".

Six-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady said: "We miss you already Kobe", while retired NBA star Dwyane Wade wrote: "Nooooooooooo God please No!".

Former sprinter Usain Bolt tweeted: "Still can't believe @kobebryant."