Father, Daughter Die in Florida Crash on Aid Flight to Jamaica

A father and daughter from the Cayman Islands died Monday when their small plane crashed into a pond in a South Florida neighborhood shortly after takeoff, as they headed to Jamaica with humanitarian aid for victims of Hurricane Melissa.

The victims were identified as Alexander Wurm, 53, founder and CEO of the evangelical Christian ministry Ignite the Fire, and his daughter Serena Wurm, 22. The pair were piloting a Beechcraft King Air twin-turboprop aircraft from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport around 10:14 a.m., bound for Montego Bay. The plane reached an altitude of about 1,000 feet before plummeting into a manmade pond in the gated Windsor Bay community of Coral Springs, about 10 miles northwest of the airport. Authorities said the crash occurred minutes after departure, narrowly avoiding nearby homes and scattering debris across a backyard. No other injuries were reported.

Ignite the Fire, based in the Cayman Islands and focused on youth empowerment through Caribbean missions and evangelism, confirmed the deaths in a social media statement. The organization described the Wurms as devoted to service and faith. "Alexander, known for his warmth and unwavering kindness,...