A staff member of Joel Osteen‘s Lakewood Church who “possessed a beautiful spirit” was among the six people killed in a private jet crash in Maine earlier this week, according to the church.
The Houston, Texas-based church told The Christian Post that Shawna Collins “was traveling for personal business outside of Lakewood” at the time of the accident Sunday night. The Paris-bound Bombardier Challenger 600 jet had stopped to refuel during light snow, mild winds and near-zero temperatures as a massive winter storm began to reach Bangor, Maine. It then flipped and caught fire during departure.
“We can confirm with great sadness that a beloved member of our church staff and treasured friend, Shawna Collins, was on the plane that crashed in Maine on Sunday evening,” Lakewood Church told The Christian Post.
“She was a light that brightened our days, and she possessed a beautiful spirit that lifted everyone she met. We loved Shawna dearly, and we will miss her more than words can express. We pray for her entire family and offer them our love and support during this difficult time,” it added.
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The jet was registered to a partner of personal injury law firm Arnold and Itkin Trial Lawyers in Houston. Tara Arnold, an attorney at the firm and wife of founding partner Kurt Arnold, and Hawaii-based chef Nick Mastrascusa were also killed in the crash, according to reports.
Mastrascusa reportedly worked for Beyond, a luxury travel company founded by the Arnolds. Beyond’s website also lists Shawna Collins as being its “luxury event designer and experience curator.”
The director of Bangor International Airport said Wednesday that the federal investigation into the crash has been hampered by extreme weather, including deep snow that has blanketed the scene and covered the burned wreckage.
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The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration joined state and local authorities at the scene and recovered the cockpit voice and data recorders for analysis. The state medical examiner’s office also was there to remove the bodies of the victims and formally identify them. The airport will remain closed until at least 9 a.m. Thursday, director Jose Saavedra said, according to The Associated Press.
Prior to the jet’s departure, another plane had just aborted takeoff, radioing to the tower that they chose not to fly because visibility wasn’t great and they would need more de-icing, the AP also reported.
The snow would eventually accumulate to about 9.5 inches, but it was only beginning at the time of the crash.
The Bombardier Challenger 600 had gone through a standard de-icing process before proceeding to the runway, Saavedra said.
Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
