Flight records showed their plane made four trips to or from Jamaica before making a stop in Fort Lauderdale.
A family’s mission to aid Jamaica’s disaster relief came to a tragic end on Nov. 10.
Alexander Wurm, 53, and his daughter Serena, 22, died when their small turboprop plane bound for the devastated island crashed in Coral Springs, Florida, shortly after takeoff.
The crash and fatalities were confirmed by the Coral Springs Police Department on Nov. 10, but officials did not identify the two bodies.
“There was no actual plane to be seen,” Coral Springs-Parkland Fire Department Deputy Chief Mike Moser said.
“They followed the debris trail to the water. We had divers that entered the water and tried to search for any victims and didn’t find any.”
Confirmation came later in a social media post from the ministry organization Ignite the Fire, which described itself as being “dedicated to empowering youth through missions and evangelism across the Caribbean,” and aiming to “cultivate volunteers who are passionate about making a difference, fostering leadership, and community involvement.”
It identified Wurm as its founder and as someone who had traveled extensively across multiple continents as part of his work.
“There are not enough words to describe him. He wasn’t just a man of prayer—he lived it, fasting and listening for God’s voice like it was the most natural conversation,” the ministry stated.
“He gave so freely, not just of his time or money, but of his very self, always ready to lend an ear or a hand. As a teacher, he possessed an uncanny ability to break down the most brutal truths into something we could actually grasp.
“Serena, following in her father’s footsteps, was a beacon of empathy and hope, inspiring all with her commitment to humanitarian work,” it added.
“Together, their final journey embodied selflessness and courage, reminding us of the power of service and love.”
Authorities said that the plane in question was a small Beechcraft King Air, an aircraft with two turboprop engines and enough capacity to fit seven to 12 people, that took off from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport at approximately 10:14 a.m.
Scores of humanitarian flights have targeted Jamaica since it took a direct hit from Category 5 Hurricane Melissa on Oct. 28.
Flight tracking website FlightAware noted that the crashed plane had made four previous trips in the past week between Montego Bay and Negril, Jamaica, and George Town in the Cayman Islands.
Ignite the Fire’s website showed it was based in the Cayman Islands.
The plan last landed in Fort Lauderdale on Nov. 7.
Coral Springs police officers and firefighters responded to the crash at 10:19 a.m. on Nov. 10, just five minutes after takeoff.
Authorities said the plane crashed in a retention pond inside a gated community, narrowly missing homes as it came down. Downed trees, broken fences, and a fuel spill were also reported.
The investigation into the crash is still ongoing, and the causes remain unclear.
Wurm leaves behind his wife, Candace, and two other children, Christina, 20, and James, 17.