Rep for pilot of Kobe Bryant’s helicopter says passengers responsible for deaths

An investigation into the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others back in January remains open, but there has been plenty of finger-pointing in the wake of the tragedy. The latest comes from the pilot’s side.

Bryant’s wife, Vanessa, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the helicopter company in February. The lawsuit alleges that the pilot, Ara Zobayan, did not have proper clearance to fly in the conditions that were present the day the helicopter crashed into a hillside in Calabasas, Calif., on Jan. 26. According to new court documents obtained by TMZ, a relative of Zobayan has answered the lawsuit and placed blame on the passengers for their deaths.

The response states that “any injuries or damages to plaintiffs and/or their decedent were directly caused in full or in part by the negligence or fault of plaintiffs and/or their decedent, including their knowing and voluntary encounter with the risks involved, and that this negligence was a substantial factor in causing their purported damages, for which this answering defendant bears no responsibility.”

That likely means Zobayan’s representatives are claiming Bryant and the others on board were aware of the risks that the weather conditions presented. It remains to be seen if assuming that risk places some of the blame on their side. Zobayan was among the nine people who died in the crash.

Unfortunately, these types of legal battles were expected. Vanessa Bryant also filed a recent legal claim over some photos that were taken at the crash site. There will be a lot of court activity related to the crash for years to come.