A plane crash last week in Mexico has impacted people directly in southern Manitoba. 

On Tuesday, July 23, a small plane crashed in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. A well-known Low German pastor, Steve Wall, was among the four victims.

Esther Abrams also died in the crash. Two of her sisters live in southern Manitoba and attend Grunthal Abundant Life Fellowship, in Grunthal, Man. 

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pastor 1
 
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One of Klassen's sisters, Martha Klassen, says that she will be deeply missed by everyone that knew her. "She was an incredible person, amazing wife, and mother to their five kids," Klassen says.

The sisters flew to Mexico on Thursday, July 25, 2019, so they could attend her funeral.

David Wiebe was also one of the victims and was well-known in southern Manitoba. 

Kennert Giesbrecht, the Managing Editor of Die Mennonitische Post in Steinbach. He says that news of the crash rippled through the Mennonite community like nothing he has ever seen.

“The emotion this has stirred up within so many folks is unbelievable,” Giesbrecht says. “Sadly, I have to write about a lot of the tragic stories happening in the Mennonite communities, and in all my years I don’t recall many events that have affected so many people.”

According to Giesbrecht, even those with no Mexican-Mennonite connections whatsoever, are still being impacted. "I'm surprised, almost shocked, by how widely this is being spread out."