All nine bodies from Kobe Bryant helicopter crash recovered from scene

All nine bodies have now been recovered from the scene of the helicopter crash which killed Kobe Bryant, L.A. County Medical Examiner-Coroner have confirmed.

NBA legend Bryant and 13-year-old daughter Gianna were on board the aircraft when it crashed on Sunday - all nine people aboard perished in the incident.

John Altobelli, his wife, Keri, and their daughter Alyssa, mother and daughter Sarah and Payton Chester, basketball coach Christina Mauser and pilot Ara Zobayan also died.

The statement from L.A. County Medical Examiner-Coroner read: "The bodies of the nine people who died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas on Sunday have been recovered, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner announced.

"On Sunday afternoon, personnel from the department’s Special Operations Response Team (SORT) recovered three bodies from the helicopter wreckage located in the 4200 block of Las Virgenes Road in Calabasas.

"The next day, the search continued for the other six helicopter occupants. Soon after, their bodies were located, removed from the crash site and transported to the department’s Forensic Science Center.

"Currently, investigators are actively working on identifying the decedents. Additionally, body examinations are in progress.

"The Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner will provide immediate updates on the names of the decedents as soon as they are officially verified and their next of kin have been notified."

The explanation behind the crash is still being investigated by authorities.

Reports have also emerged claiming that the helicopter flying Bryant and Co plummeted nearly 500 feet in just 15 seconds before smashing into an LA hillside.

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

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