Federal Drug Charges Filed Against Passenger Rescued in Florida Plane Crash

A Bahamian man rescued from a plane crash off the Florida coast earlier this week is now facing federal drug charges. Jonathan Gardiner , one of 11 adults pulled from the Atlantic Ocean on Tuesday, was charged with one count of cocaine import conspiracy, according to a federal complaint filed in court.

Federal prosecutors allege that Gardiner, who is also referred to in court documents as “Player,” has been involved in smuggling cocaine since 2023. At the time of the crash, officials said Gardiner was in possession of three mobile phones and a brown paper bag containing $30,000 in Bahamian currency. The complaint states the cash was labeled with the name of a Bahamian politician who had been previously linked to a large cocaine shipment from Colombia.

The incident occurred Tuesday when a twin-engine turboprop airplane traveling from Marsh Harbor to Freeport in the Bahamas went down approximately 80 miles off the coast of Melbourne, Florida. All 11 passengers and the pilot survived the crash and were rescued by a U.S. Air Force helicopter that was already airborne in the vicinity. One survivor told reporters that the group was stranded at sea for approximately five hours before help arrived.

While some survivors were treated for injuries following the rescue, authorities confirmed that all remained in stable condition or have since been discharged from medical care. Gardiner’s arrest follows the joint rescue operation conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Air Force.