(Photo: The Nelons/YouTube)

Celebrities and Christian artists continue to mourn the loss of three members of the popular gospel group The Nelons.

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Married couple Jason and Kelly Nelon Clark and their daughter Amber Nelon Kistler died Friday in a plane crash en route to the Gaither Homecoming Cruise in Alaska, WTVF-TV reported.

Four other people also died in the tragic accident: Amber's husband Nathan Kistler, pilots Larry and Melissa Haynie, and the music ensemble's assistant, Melodi Hodges.

The single-engine Pilatus PC-12/47E reportedly crashed in Wyoming around 1:00 p.m. MDT on July 26 after departing Nebraska City Municipal Airport at 11:00 a.m. MDT.

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A post by Autumn Nelon Streetman (@autumnnelon)

Autumn Nelon Streetman, the youngest daughter of Jason and Kelly Nelon Clark, was not on board the plane and is the only survivor in her immediate family.

Streetman, who is expecting a baby with her husband in December, released a statement this week confirming the deaths of her family members and thanking her supporters for their prayers.

“Thank you for the prayers already extended to me, my husband Jamie and our soon-to-be-born son, as well as Jason's parents Dan and Linda Clark,” she wrote. “We appreciate your continued prayers, love and support in the days ahead.”

The Gaither Management Group, the Nelons' management company, also released a statement thanking the family, asking for prayers for everyone involved and noting that “the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the accident.”

“Please pray for her, the Kistler family, the Haynie family and the family of Melodi Hodges,” the statement concluded.

Streetman announced this week that a celebration honoring her parents, sister and brother-in-law will be held on August 6 at Roopville Road Baptist Church in Roopville, Georgia.

Celebrities and friends of the Nelons reacted to the events with sadness and grief.

“I’m so sorry, Autumn,” singer Danny Gokey commented on Streetman’s Instagram post.

And actor TC Stallings added: “This hurt my heart this morning, but I know it hurts all of you MUCH MORE. Autumn, you know my family and I will be praying for all of you.”

Clarke Beasley, vice-chairman of the National Quartet Convention, said the ordeal had shaken the gospel community.

“This is something that has rocked the gospel music community because we are very close,” he told WVLT-TV. “We are a family.”

Beasley continued, “Their overall impact is difficult to measure because we are talking about a legendary group that was one of the top groups in gospel music for decades.”

The Nelons, members of the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, have long been a fixture in Christian music.

The group was founded in the 1970s by Kelly Nelon Clark's late father, Rex Nelon, and has had various members over the years.

Please continue to pray for everyone affected by this tragedy.

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