Kobe Bryant dies in helicopter accident; prayers for basketball star's wife Vanessa Bryant

Kobe Bryant has reportedly died in a helicopter crash on Sunday morning in California .The NBA star, 41, was travelling with four people in his private helicopter when it crashed in Calabasas.

All five people onboard are reported to have died in the accident.

A call for a downed helicopter went out at 10.01am local time, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Firefighters arrived at the scene and put out the flames.

READ MORE: Kobe Bryant & daughter Gianna attended Sunday church service just hours before tragic death

However, it was later reported that there were no survivors from the crash.

"Unfortunately there were no survivors," said Tony Imbrenda of the Los Angeles County Fire. 

READ MORE: Kobe Bryant's Daughter Gianna, 13, Dies Alongside Father In Helicopter Crash

Immediately messages started filtering in from across the internet, with hundreds offering prayers for Kobe's wife, Vanessa Bryant, who is not thought to have been on board.

READ MORE: Kobe Bryant Shares How A Catholic Priest Changed His Life
READ MORE: Reports That Kobe Bryant's 4 Daughters On Board Helicopter At Time Of Crash Are Inaccurate

President Donald Trump wrote on Twitter: "Terrible news."

Meanwhile, fellow NBA legend Kevin Love tweeted, "Please no. Please god no. It can't be true."

Celebrity reporters at TMZ quoted eyewitnesses as saying they heard the helicopter's engine in trouble just before it went down. 

News
When ‘my truth’ replaces the truth
When ‘my truth’ replaces the truth

We live in changing times, where feelings about how we “identify” now hold more authority than facts.

Christian pro-life volunteer denies five fresh charges in abortion buffer zone case
Christian pro-life volunteer denies five fresh charges in abortion buffer zone case

A Christian charity volunteer has pleaded not guilty to five charges of breaching an abortion clinic buffer zone in Birmingham, as her lawyers challenge whether the prosecution should proceed.

Can we really think ourselves happy?
Can we really think ourselves happy?

There is growing evidence that people living with neglected tropical diseases, including leprosy, experience significantly higher rates of depression and anxiety, with discrimination and social exclusion among the factors contributing to this burden.

Proposed SNP conversion therapy ban could 'weaken trust' within the home
Proposed SNP conversion therapy ban could 'weaken trust' within the home

Parents and pastors may be required by law to affirm only one view.