Helicopter Carrying Kobe Made Climbing Turn Before Rapid Dive

According to ESPN, the helicopter that crashed into a hillside in Southern California on Sunday was in a climbing left turn about 2,400 feet high before it dove to the ground.

The source, who spoke on the condition of remaining anonymous, told ESPN that only moments before, the pilot contacted air traffic controllers to say that he had begun a climb to “go above the layer” of clouds present.

A source confirmed the identity of the pilot as Ara Zobayan, who was among those killed in the helicopter crash.