Motivational speaker, Myles Munroe, wife, die in plane crash

Renowned evangelical pastor and motivational speaker, Dr. Myles Munroe, his wife, Ruth and seven others were last night killed in a plane crash near Grand Bahama International Airport. 

The Associated Press quotes the Ministry of Transport and Aviation:"The Department of Civil Aviation has been advised unofficially that the aircraft was destroyed and that there were no survivors”

The Lear 36 Executive Jet had taken off from the Bahamian capital of Nassau and crashed about 5 p.m. local time Sunday, as it was coming in for a landing at Grand Bahama International Airport in Freeport. 

The plane reportedly struck a crane at the Grand Bahama Ship Yard, exploding on impact and crashing into the ground near a junkyard area.

There had been heavy rain across the region which may have caused the plane to hit the crane.

ABC news also reports that Dr. Richard H. Pinder, a Senior Vice President and Pastor of Bahamas Faith Ministries Fellowship Church, also died in the crash.

The group was on their way to the Global Leadership Forum, which was organized by Munroe and was scheduled for this week in Freeport. A posting on Munroe's Facebook page said the event would go on for two and a half days. 

Dr. William M. Wilson, president of Oral Roberts University where Munroe was a student, expressed his sadness at the loss of an "outstanding ORUalumni and friend."

A spokesperson at the Bahamas Air accident investigation and prevention unit told ABC they understand that it may be the plane of a prominent minister in the Bahamas, but officials have declined to identify the victims.

Based upon the flight plan information that was registered at the point of the departure, officials are of the opinion that the plane was the only aircraft in the area at the time, so they are going on the assumption that it was a prominent minister on the aircraft, the spokesperson said.

It was not yet known what caused the crash, and police and rescue teams were on the scene, but a full investigation would only begin at daylight, officials said.

"The Department of Civil Aviation has been advised that there were some fatalities and we are awaiting confirmation from the Royal Bahamas Police Force as to whether there were any survivors," 

The Department of Civil Aviation said in a statement. "The Grand Bahama Airport Company Crash Fire Rescue Department responded to the incident, and the Police and Bahamas Air Sea Rescue (BASRA) are presently on the scene."