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Christian Ministry CEO and Daughter Killed in Plane Crash for Hurricane Relief Mission

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A small plane carrying two people on a Christian hurricane-relief mission to Jamaica crashed Monday morning in Coral Springs, Florida, killing both on board just minutes after takeoff.

Authorities later confirmed that the victims were Alexander Wurm, 53, the CEO of the evangelical ministry Ignite the Fire, and his daughter Serena Wurm, 22. The two were traveling to deliver hurricane-relief supplies to communities in Jamaica when tragedy struck.

“Alexander, known for his warmth and unwavering kindness, devoted his life to serving others — both through his actions and by sharing the gospel of Jesus across the globe,” Ignite the Fire said in a heartfelt social media statement. “He and Serena were on a mission to bring help and hope to those in need.”

The turboprop King Air plane, manufactured in 1976, went down in a retention pond inside a gated residential neighborhood in Coral Springs, a suburb northwest of Fort Lauderdale. Witnesses said the aircraft narrowly missed several homes before crashing just five minutes after takeoff.

According to the Coral Springs Police Department, both occupants were pronounced dead at the scene. No residents on the ground were injured.

“The crash occurred shortly after departure. The plane came down into a pond, just yards away from several houses,” said one local resident, describing the frightening moment.

Authorities have not yet released the cause of the crash and said investigators would remain in the area through Tuesday to collect evidence and document the scene.

Records from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) identify the downed aircraft as a King Air model capable of seating seven to twelve people. Federal records show it was registered to International Air Services, a company that manages trust agreements allowing non-U.S. citizens to register aircraft with the FAA.

Flight-tracking data from FlightAware indicates the plane had made four previous trips between Jamaica and the Cayman Islands over the past week, stopping in Fort Lauderdale on Friday before Monday’s ill-fated flight.

Wurm’s ministry, Ignite the Fire, is known for organizing international outreach projects and humanitarian missions across the Caribbean and Central America. Supporters described him as a man of deep faith and relentless compassion, often seen leading teams into disaster-stricken areas to provide food, aid, and the gospel.

Messages of grief and prayer poured in across social media from friends, mission partners, and churches around the world.

“Alexander and Serena lived out their faith in action,” one post read. “They died doing what they loved — serving God and serving others.”

Photo credit: Flickr

Hurricane Melissa Leaves Trail of Death, Destruction Across Cuba, Haiti and Jamaica

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Hurricane Melissa left at least dozens dead and caused widespread destruction across Cuba, Haiti, and Jamaica, where roofless homes, toppled utility poles, and water-logged furniture dominated the landscape Wednesday.

A landslide blocked the main roads of Santa Cruz in Jamaica’s St. Elizabeth parish, where the streets were reduced to mud pits. Residents swept water from homes as they tried to salvage belongings. Wind ripped off part of the roof at a high school that serves as a public shelter.

“I never see anything like this before in all my years living here,” resident Jennifer Small said.

The extent of the damage from the deadly hurricane was unclear Wednesday as widespread power outages and dangerous conditions persisted in the region.

“It is too early for us to say definitively,” said Dana Morris Dixon, Jamaica’s education minister. (Read more from “Hurricane Melissa Leaves Trail of Death, Destruction Across Cuba, Haiti and Jamaica” HERE)