Well-known pastor among 9 killed in Bahamas plane crash

 A small plane carrying nine people crashed while trying to land in the Bahamas on Sunday, killing all nine occupants, including a prominent Protestant minister and his wife, officials there said.
A statement released Monday by the office of Prime Minister Perry Christie confirmed the fatal accident, and the death of Myles Munroe, 60, founder and president of Bahamas Faith Ministries International.
Munroe was killed with his wife Ruth and other members of their congregation during the flight from Nassau to Freeport, Grand Bahama, where they were to attend a religious leadership conference on Monday. Some media reports said their daughter was also aboard the flight.
The Bahamas are an archipelago located some 90 kilometers (55 miles) off the southern coast of Florida.
News reports said the Lear 36 executive jet crashed at around 5:10 pm local time (2210 GMT) after it clipped a construction crane and exploded upon impact. Reports said heavy rain at the time may also have played a role.
Christie said in his statement that his nation was grieving over the loss.
"It is utterly impossible to measure the magnitude of Dr. Munroe's loss to The Bahamas and to the world," the Bahamian leader said.
"His fame as an ambassador for the Christian ministry preceded him wherever in the world he traveled," he said.
"He was a towering force who earned the respect and admiration not only of Christian adherents but of secular leaders both here at home and around the world."
The Atlanta Constitution newspaper and other US media reported Monday that Andrew Young -- the US city's ex-mayor and Washington's former United Nations ambassador -- had planned to attend the conference.
Young reportedly narrowly missed boarding the doomed flight, after making a last minute change in his travel plans.