A Christian missionary father and his daughter were killed when a small plane crashed in a South Florida neighborhood. The flight was headed to Jamaica for a hurricane relief mission. Ministry organization Ignite the Fire identified the two victims of the Monday morning crash as the group’s founder, Alexander Wurm, 53, and his daughter Serena Wurm, 22.
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More Details About Plane Crash
The Wrums were bringing humanitarian aid to Jamaica, according to the organization. All of a sudden, the Beechcraft King Air plane they were flying in crashed. It landed in a pond in a residential area of the Fort Lauderdale suburb of Coral Springs. The plane narrowly missed homes. As of Tuesday morning, investigators had not reported any other victims.
The turboprop plane went down shortly after taking off from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport at approximately 10:14 a.m. on Monday, authorities said. Police and fire rescue responded to the crash site just five minutes later. The flight tracking website FlightAware shows the plane made four other trips to or from Jamaica in the past week. It traveled between George Town in the Cayman Islands and Montego Bay and Negril in Jamaica, before landing in Fort Lauderdale on Friday.
According to Federal Aviation Administration records, the plane was manufactured in 1976. Its registered owner is listed as International Air Services.
Alex Wrum Posted About Missionary Trips
In recent weeks, Alexander Wurm had helped deliver medical supplies, water filters and StarLink satellite internet equipment to Jamaica. He was working with the relief organization Crisis Response International, according to a video statement the group posted online.
“What I can tell you about Alex is that he had a huge vision for the people of the Caribbean nations. And when this hurricane happened, he didn’t hesitate. He sprung into action and did what he could,” Crisis Response International founder Sean Malone said.
Malone added, “He really made a difference in the lives of the people on the ground by getting the resources in that he did. He saved lives and he gave his life.”
Posts by Alexander Wurm in recent days suggested the evangelist had recently acquired the plane to further his missionary work across the Caribbean. He described the aircraft as “an older King Air with brand new engines. He also called it “perfect” to ferry deliveries of generators, batteries and building materials to Jamaica.
“I’ve been a pilot since 2005 and I felt that the Ignite ministry should have a missions airplane if it wanted to effectively bless the Caribbean!” Wurm wrote in a social media post on Nov. 2. “Perfect for the mission to bring relief goods into Montego Bay and the plane is ready just in time!” he added.
Photos and videos on social media show Wurm posing for a picture in the plane’s cockpit and unloading boxes of supplies from the packed aircraft with teams of volunteers.
Crash Under Investigation
The Coral Springs Police Department said Tuesday that a significant police presence would be at the crash site as investigators collect evidence. Also, the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.
Broward County, where the plane took off from and where the crash occurred, is home to a vibrant Caribbean American community. It sprang into action to collect relief supplies following Hurricane Melissa, which left a path of destruction in the Caribbean.
A statement on Ignite the Fire’s social media described the Wurm family as passionate about humanitarian work and their Christian faith.
“Together, their final journey embodied selflessness and courage, reminding us of the power of service and love,” the statement reads, adding, “Rest in peace, Alexander and Serena — your light endures in all whose lives you changed.”
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Associated Press/Report for America writer Kate Payne contributed to this report via AP Newsroom.
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