The California company that owned Kobe Bryant’s doomed helicopter is due to receive more than $600,000 in federal stimulus money meant to counter the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
Island Express Helicopters received a total of $603,838 for the ‘total anticipated payroll support’ from the US Treasury Department to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. Back in February, the company announced the suspension of their services until further notice and have since been subjected to various lawsuits since the crash that claimed the lives of the Los Angeles Lakers legend, 13-year-old Gianna, pilot Ara Zobayan and six others.
Vanessa Bryant had filed wrongful death lawsuit that is seeking economic and punitive damages. The lawsuit claims the company’s breach of ‘duty and negligence’ was the cause of their deaths and added Ara Zobayan’s ‘negligent conduct’ caused Kobe Bryant and Gianna’s death, for which the helicopter company is ‘vicariously liable’. The company has since responded and said they are not responsible because the passengers on board ‘voluntarily assumed the risk of the accident’ before the crash. The company answered the lawsuit May 11, arguing it wasn’t liable for any damages.
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