A national tragedy with global reach rocked The Bahamas Sunday evening after President of Bahamas Faith Ministries International (BFMI) and internationally renowned pastor and teacher Dr. Myles Munroe, his wife Ruth Ann, who served as co-senior pastor and seven other people, including a child, were killed after the plane they were on crashed in the Grand Bahama Shipyard.

The Department of Civil Aviation confirmed last night that a Lear 36 Executive Jet which departed Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) for Grand Bahama International Airport (GBIA) at 4:07 p.m. with nine people on board, crashed while making an approach for landing at GBIA at 5:10 p.m.

“The Department of Civil Aviation has been advised unofficially that the aircraft was destroyed and that there were no survivors,” the release read.

“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. A full scale investigation will commence (Monday) at daylight, which will include the Department of Civil Aviation Aircraft Accident Investigation Prevention Unit.”

According to Journal sources Grand Bahama was experiencing severe thunder and rainstorms, forcing the plane to lose control and fly low.

Sources said the plane then clipped a crane in the shipyard, crashed and exploded on impact.

Journal sources also confirmed last night that also among the dead were Senior Vice President and Pastor at BFM Dr. Richard Pinder, youth pastors Lavard “Manifest” Parks his wife, Radel Parks, their son, pilot Stanley Thurston, a co-pilot and a visitor from Africa.

The group was headed to the second city for Dr. Munroe’s 29th annual Global Leadership Forum 2014 which was scheduled to begin today.

This would have marked the first year in the forum’s existence that it was being held in Freeport, Grand Bahama and just last week Dr. Munroe noted that he switched venues this year to boost that island’s ailing economy and to broaden the seminar’s reach.

The Journal obtained a video showing the moment a seminar leader broke the tragic news to the attendees who were already in Grand Bahama.

Wails and screams pierced the air as a man told the tragic story.

Dr. Munroe was an internationally acclaimed pastor and teacher who throughout his career penned dozens of books, recorded thousands of spiritual and inspirational messages, he was a mentor and teacher and icon to thousands around the world and was often a headline grabber during the times he held the government’s feet to the fire and challenged them on numerous national issues.

Just last Friday he called on Prime Minister Perry Christie to take a more hands on approach in the fight against crime and charged that it is now “an emergency” to solve these issues.

“When there’s an emergency, we don’t need suggestions we need instructions,” he said at the time in his customary poetic tone. “When there’s an emergency we don’t need discussions, we need decisions. So it is my view that we need to have direct involvement of the prime minister, attorney general, chief justice, commissioner of police or even The College of The Bahamas to do a survey to investigate what is causing this. We need decisions, not discussions.”

Condolences upon learning of Dr. Munroe’s death also poured in from the international community as the story was quickly picked up by foreign news stations.

American gospel singer and songwriter Marvin Sapp wrote on his Facebook page last night, “My heart is heavy after hearing about the passing of Dr. Myles Monroe. Really shook by this news ‪#‎Praying4Understanding‬.”

Grammy award winner Yolanda Adams also took to her Facebook page to mourn Dr. Munroe’s death and wrote; my heart is extremely heavy upon hearing of the passing of my dear friend Dr. Myles Munroe and his family and staff. An encourager and inspirer to all he knew. May the Lord grant solace and comfort to those who mourn with me.”

American pastor Creflo Dollar posted a photo of Dr. Munroe and his wife to his Instagram page with the caption, “Taffi and I are saddened to hear about the passing of Dr. Myles Munroe and his wife, Ruth. We send our prayers and condolences to the Munroe family and all families affected in today’s tragic event.”

Dr. Munroe was 60-year-old.