Father and Daughter Die in Florida Plane Crash While Delivering Hurricane Relief to Jamaica
A father and daughter were killed yesterday when their plane crashed into a residential area of Coral Springs, Florida, shortly after takeoff from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, while on a mission to deliver aid to Jamaica following the devastating Hurricane Melissa.
Alexander Wurm, 53, and his 22-year-old daughter, Serena, died in the crash of a twin-engined Beechcraft King Air. Security footage captured the aircraft plummeting into a lake, narrowly missing homes, and authorities confirmed no one on the ground was injured. Wurm founded Ignite the Fire, a Cayman Islands-based Christian ministry focused on youth empowerment in the Caribbean, and had been making frequent trips to Jamaica in recent weeks to provide humanitarian assistance.
“When this hurricane happened, he didn’t hesitate – he sprung into action and did what he could with what he had in his hand,” said Sean Malone, director of Crisis Relief International (CRI), in a Facebook video statement. “He saved lives and he gave his life for the people of the nations that were on his heart.” Wurm recently purchased the aircraft, noting on his Facebook page on November 2 that it was “perfect for the mission to bring relief goods into Montego Bay.” The loss highlights the risks aid workers often face in delivering critical supplies to disaster zones. Ferrin Cole, CRI’s team leader in Jamaica, described working with the Wurms as “an honor,” adding they consistently delivered supplies unavailable through other channels. You can learn more about hurricane preparedness at the Ready.gov website.
Ignite the Fire’s Facebook page described Serena Wurm as “a beacon of empathy and hope,” following in her father’s dedication to humanitarian work. Alexander Wurm is survived by his wife, Candace, and two other children. Recovery operations are ongoing, and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the cause of the crash, according to officials. Details about the ministry’s work can be found on their official website.
Investigators are working to recover the wreckage and the bodies of the victims, and a full investigation into the cause of the crash is underway.
