Helicopter Pilot’s Wife Blames Passengers for Death in Response to Vanessa Bryant’s Wrongful Death Lawsuit

Vanessa Bryant filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the helicopter company involved in her husband and daughter’s fatal accident, claiming the pilot was reckless.

Vanessa’s suit stated the company was only allowed to fly under certain safety conditions, which weren’t effective the day of the incident on January 26th.

The lawsuit claims Ara George Zobayan was flying at 180 miles per hour and alleged that he didn’t evaluate the weather before liftoff. Reports suggested there was thick fog the morning in question.

The pilot wife, Berge Zobayan, responded saying the accident was a result of the negligence of the passengers themselves. “Any injuries or damages to plaintiffs and/or their decedent were directly caused in full or in part by the negligence or fault of plaintiffs and/or their decedent, including their knowing and voluntary encounter with the risks involved, and that this negligence was a substantial factor in causing their purported damages, for which this answering defendant bears no responsibility.”

Both the Altobelli and Mauser families filed lawsuits against Island Express and are seeking damages: “[Island Express] negligently and carelessly breached its duty to own, lease, manage, maintain, control, entrust, charter and operate the helicopter in question in a reasonable manner…an insurmountable amount of anguish on every level — physical, emotional, mental and otherwise.”

Do you think the court will rule in favor of Vanessa Bryant?