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What happened to Christian ministry CEO? Alexander Wurm and daughter die after plane taking aid to Jamaica crashes
Alexander Wurm, 53, and his daughter Serena, 22, were killed when their plane crashed in South Florida while delivering aid to Jamaica.
A Christian missionary father and his daughter tragically lost their lives when a small aircraft, en route to a hurricane relief mission in Jamaica, crashed in a neighborhood in South Florida.
The Christian ministry organization Ignite the Fire has identified the victims of the crash that occurred on Monday morning as the group’s founder, Alexander Wurm, aged 53, and his daughter, Serena Wurm, aged 22.
According to the organization, the duo was delivering humanitarian aid to Jamaica when the Beechcraft King Air plane they were piloting went down into a pond located in a residential area of Coral Springs, a suburb of Fort Lauderdale, narrowly avoiding nearby homes. As of Tuesday morning, investigators have not disclosed any additional victims.
Alexander Wurm and daughter were devoted to humanitarian efforts
Ignite the Fire is "committed to empowering young people through missions and evangelism throughout the Caribbean," as stated on the organization’s website. A post on the group’s social media characterized the Wurm family as deeply devoted to humanitarian efforts and their Christian beliefs.
"Collectively, their last journey represented selflessness and bravery, serving as a reminder of the strength found in service and love," the post states, further noting, “Rest in peace, Alexander and Serena — your light continues to shine in the lives of all you have impacted.”
Tragic plane crash
The turboprop aircraft crashed shortly after its departure from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport at around 10:14 a.m. on Monday, according to authorities, with police and fire rescue teams arriving at the scene of the accident just five minutes later.
Broward County, the location of both the plane's departure and the crash, is known for its lively Caribbean American community, which mobilized to gather relief supplies in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, a storm that caused significant devastation in the Caribbean.
Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica
A formidable Category 5 storm, Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on October 28, tying for the most powerful landfalling Atlantic hurricane ever recorded. The storm also inflicted significant damage in Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic, leading relief organizations to take action.
