Pastor Myles Munroe and Wife Among 9 Killed in Plane Crash

Popular minister and motivational speaker Myles Munroe died Sunday afternoon following a small-plane crash in the Bahamas, NBC News reports.

Nine people were on board when the plane went down. According to the news site, the Bahamian aviation ministry confirmed “some fatalities.” ABC News later reported that all passengers died in the crash.

In addition to Munroe, the deceased included Munroe’s wife, Ruth, who was also popular in the international evangelical sphere, NBC News notes, and Richard Pidner, senior vice president and pastor of Munroe’s Bahamas Faith Ministries International Fellowship.

According to the report, the plane was trying to make a landing at Grand Bahama International Airport when it crashed into a shipyard. The plane then hit a mechanical crane, according to ABC News, exploding on impact. The small group on the private Lear jet was reportedly headed to a Global Leadership Forum that was arranged by Munroe.

The cause of the crash was unknown.

ABC News notes that the forum will go on as planned, despite a grieving congregation, with a post to Munroe’s Facebook page reading, “This is what Dr. Munroe would have wanted.”

The 60-year-old preacher and motivator was known for speaking at large Christian events with other widely known preachers like Bishop T.D. Jakes. As NBC News notes, he had authored (or co-authored) more than 100 inspirational books.

Read more at NBC News and ABC News.