Authorities investigating Bahamas plane crash that killed 9

The Lear 36 Executive Jet had taken off from the Bahamian capital of Nassau and crashed while attempting to land in Freeport.

A small plane crashed Sunday on approach to the island of Grand Bahama, killing all 9 people on board,including a prominent Christian minister and his wife, the government of the Bahamas said.

 The Lear 36 Executive Jet had taken off from the Bahamian capital of Nassau and crashed while attempting to land around 5 p.m. local time in Freeport, according to a statement from 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 ministry said.

Among those killed was Myles Munroe, the founder of Bahamas Faith Ministries, who was traveling to Grand Bahama to attend the 2014 Global Leadership Forum, Prime Minister Perry Christie said.

"It is utterly impossible to measure the magnitude of Dr. Munroe's loss to The Bahamas and to the world," the prime minister said. "He was indisputably one of the most globally recognizable religious figures our nation has ever produced."

Munroe's wife, Ruth was also on the plane, Christie said. The names of other passengers have not yet been confirmed, but the government said they included another minister, Richard Pinder, and a child.

The cause of the crash has not yet been determined though there had been heavy rain across the region.

An investigation into the cause of the crash has begun.

Grand Bahama is about 70 miles (113 kilometers) east of Florida.