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No sign of engine failure in Kobe Bryant helicopter crash: NTSB

Wreckage at the scene of the helicopter crash that killed NBA great Kobe Bryant and eight others showed no evidence of engine failure, a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said.

Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were among the nine who perished when the helicopter crashed in rugged terrain west of Los Angeles on 26 January.

“All significant components of the helicopter were located within the wreckage area,” according to the report. “Examination of the main and tail rotor assemblies found damage consistent with powered rotation at the time of impact.

“Viewable sections of the engines showed no evidence of an uncontained or catastrophic internal failure.

“The No. 2 engine first-stage compressor blades exhibited tip curl in the direction opposite of rotation, consistent with powered rotation at the time of impact.”

Friday’s report was a summary of investigators’ findings so far. A final report identifying the cause of the crash is expected to take at least a year to complete.

Investigators from the NTSB and other bodies are considering what role heavy fog that Sunday morning might have played.

“Our investigators have already developed a substantial amount of evidence about the circumstances of this tragic crash,” NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt said in a statement.

“And we are confident that we will be able to determine its cause as well as any factors that contributed to it so we can make safety recommendations to prevent accidents like this from occurring again.”

The report includes photographs of the crash area in the Santa Monica Mountains, including one from a witness near the site and one from a security camera that shows the helicopter flying into clouds.

It also includes comments from a witness who was on a mountain bike trail and told investigators he heard the helicopter approaching.

He said he saw the blue and white helicopter emerge from the clouds, travelling forward and down, observing it for about two seconds before it crashed.

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Zozibini Tunzi is in the country for her official homecoming tour and is to travel and Cape Town and the place of her origin in the Eastern Cape.

Zozibini Tunzi

Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi says she’s using her title to go against the grain by defying beauty standards and paving the way for any girl who resembles her. Tunzi arrived at OR Tambo International Airport on Saturday morning, where she was welcomed by scores of fans. continue reading

Source: AFP