The two people killed after a small plane carrying humanitarian aid to Jamaica crashed in South Florida Monday have been identified as the CEO of a Christian ministry and his daughter.
Alexander Wurm, 53, and his daughter, Serena Wurm, 22, were aboard a Montego Bay-bound Beechcraft King Air B-100 when it crashed into a pond in Coral Springs around 10:20 a.m. Monday, shortly after taking off from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport.
Wurm was the founder of Ignite the Fire, a Christian ministry dedicated to “empowering youth through missions and evangelism across the Caribbean,” according to the group’s website.
The two were bringing supplies to the victims of Hurricane Melissa, the historic category-5 storm that killed at least 32 people and caused billions of dollars in damage when it hit the Caribbean island nation on Oct. 28.
Their tragic deaths were confirmed late Monday night by Ignite the Fire in a statement shared on social media.
The elder Wurm was described as a man of prayer who was “known for his warmth and unwavering kindness [and who] devoted his life to serving others.”
Serena Wurm, described as “a beacon of empathy and hope,” was dedicated to her father’s humanitarian work and was following in his footsteps.
“Together, their final journey embodied selflessness and courage, reminding us of the power of service and love,” the group said.
Sean Malone, CEO and co-founder of the humanitarian relief organization Crisis Response International, said that after “incredible logistical challenges” in bringing relief items into Jamaica, the group connected with Wurm, who had been flying resources to the island at his own expense, multiple times over the last few days.
“Today he didn’t turn up,” Malone said in a video shared on Facebook late Monday. “Unfortunately, we found out that he crashed his aircraft in Coral Springs, Florida, and he and his daughter did not survive. We are in absolute shock and disbelief.”
The flight departed from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport at 10:14 a.m. and was scheduled to arrive at Sangster International Airport at 12:35 p.m., according to flight tracking service FlightAware. The twin-turbo aircraft crashed just minutes after takeoff, officials said.
As of Tuesday morning, authorities had not reported any additional victims.
