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Man rescued in Florida plane crash is accused of smuggling cocaine

Nbcwashington · · 411 words · By Julian Quintana; Gene Johnson; The Associated Press
open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/national-international/passenger-on-bahamian-…

fact_checkFact-Check Results

19 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

schedule Pending 9
check_circle Corroborated 7
info Single Source 2
help Insufficient Evidence 1
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“A passenger on board a plane that flew from the Bahamas and crashed off the coast of Florida was arrested in a federal drug investigation”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results confirm a passenger (Jonathan Gardiner) from a plane that crashed off the Florida coast after flying from the Bahamas was arrested in a federal drug investigation.
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web search NEUTRAL — Passenger (singer) ... Michael David Rosenberg (born 17 May 1984), better known by his stage name Passenger, is an English indie folk singer, songwriter and musician. From the 2000s, Rosenberg fronted…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passenger_(singer)
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web search NEUTRAL — Clothing made to embrace the journeys to come while leaving a smaller footprint. Shop outdoor and responsible clothing at Passenger.
https://us.passenger-clothing.com/
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web search NEUTRAL — Apr 14, 2026 · 130 million people take road trips every year. 15,400 of them are never seen again. Watch the Official Trailer for #PassengerMovie – Only in theatres May 22A...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eNIn8kW1kyE
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“Jonathan Gardiner is being charged with cocaine importation conspiracy”
CORROBORATED
Two independent sources explicitly state that Jonathan Gardiner was charged with cocaine importation conspiracy.
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web search NEUTRAL — Jonathan Gardiner, one of the 11 Bahamian adults rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Air Force on Tuesday, was charged with one count of cocaine import conspiracy for allegedly smuggling cocaine s…
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/crime-courts/man-rescued-florid…
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web search NEUTRAL — The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If you or someone you know has information about the conduct in…
https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/us-attorney-announces-c…
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web search NEUTRAL — U.S. charges ex-Honduras president with cocaine-importation conspiracy.
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/us-charges-ex-hondura…
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“Gardiner was one of 11 people who survived the crash that happened on Tuesday”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm that Jonathan Gardiner was one of 11 people rescued/survived the crash, and one source specifies it happened on Tuesday.
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web search NEUTRAL — Jonathan (Hebrew: יְהוֹנָתָן/יוֹנָתָן, Standard: Yehōnatan / Yōnatan, Tiberian: Yŏhōnāṯān / Yōnāṯān[1]) is a common name given to males which means " YHWH has given" in Hebrew. [2][3] The earliest kno…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_(name)
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web search NEUTRAL — May 29, 2025 · Jonathan is often used as a boy name. Learn more about the meaning, origin, and popularity of the name Jonathan.
https://www.parents.com/jonathan-name-meaning-origin-popular…
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web search NEUTRAL — Apr 2, 2026 · Jonathan, in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) books 1 and 2 Samuel, the eldest son of King Saul. Jonathan’s intrepidity and fidelity to his friend, the future king David, make him one of…
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jonathan
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“The plane, a Beechcraft 300 King Air turboprop, was on its way from Marsh Harbour, on the Bahamian island of Great Abaco, to Grand Bahama International Airport in Freeport when it suffered engine failure”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm the aircraft was a Beechcraft King Air 300 traveling from Marsh Harbour, Great Abaco, to Freeport's Grand Bahama International Airport.
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web search NEUTRAL — The Beechcraft Super King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by Beechcraft. The Model 200 and Model 300 series were originally marketed as the "Super King Air" family; th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beechcraft_Super_King_Air
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web search NEUTRAL — Jonathan Eric Gardiner, also known as "Player," was rescued on May 12 along with 10 others after their Beechcraft King Air 300 crashed into the sea while traveling from Marsh Harbour in Great Abaco Is…
https://www.cubaheadlines.com/articles/329465
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web search NEUTRAL — The King Air 300 is a twin-engine turboprop used for business aviation, charter, special-mission work and regional transportation. The aircraft family is known for its short-field performance and has …
https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/11-rescued-king-air-crash…
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“The pilot ditched the plane in the water about 50 miles (80 km) off Vero Beach, Florida”
CORROBORATED
Three independent sources confirm the plane was ditched in the water approximately 50 miles off the coast of Vero Beach, Florida.
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web search NEUTRAL — The pilot ditched the plane in the water about 50 miles (80 km) off Vero Beach, Florida, and managed to get its 10 passengers, three with minor injuries, onto a yellow life raft.
https://www.wndu.com/2026/05/14/survivors-plane-crash-floate…
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web search NEUTRAL — The turboprop plane went down about 50 miles east of the Vero Beach Regional Airport and approximately 80 miles east of Melbourne, Florida. The U.S. Coast Guard Southeast District confirmed all occupa…
https://www.yourlifebuzz.com/lifestyle/11-people-survive-aft…
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web search NEUTRAL — Eleven people survived a plane crash off the coast of the Treasure Coast. The U.S. Coast Guard confirms they rescued that updated number of people from a small aircraft that was about 50 miles east of…
https://wflaorlando.iheart.com/featured/florida-news/content…
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“the pilot... managed to get its 10 passengers, three with minor injuries, onto a yellow life raft”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm the pilot got 10 passengers onto a yellow life raft, with some sources mentioning minor injuries.
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web search NEUTRAL — The pilot ditched the plane in the water about 50 miles (80 km) off Vero Beach, Florida, and managed to get its 10 passengers, three with minor injuries, onto a yellow life raft.
https://www.wafb.com/2026/05/14/survivors-plane-crash-floate…
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web search NEUTRAL — A plane crashes into the ocean and now the survivors must try their best to survive in a pocket of air, waiting for help while keeping the sharks at bay.Subs...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tqso2Tl83s4
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web search NEUTRAL — The pilot credited with saving the lives of 10 passengers on board a small plane after it crash landed about 50 nautical miles off the east coast of Florida told CBS News he lost both engines, all com…
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pilot-crash-landing-rescue-baha…
info
“when he was resecured, Gardiner had three phones and a cross-body bag that had about $30,000 in Bahamian currency”
SINGLE SOURCE
Only one specific source mentions the detail about the three phones and $30,000 in Bahamian currency found on Gardiner.
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web search NEUTRAL — According to sources, when Gardiner was detained again post-rescue, he was in possession of three cell phones and a crossbody bag containing approximately $30,000 in Bahamian currency...
https://www.cubaheadlines.com/articles/329465
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web search NEUTRAL — Police now say, with the help of Taylor Casey’s family, they have recovered the 41-year-old’s cell phone in the ocean near the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnjwCeTA75g
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web search NEUTRAL — View Jonathan Gardiner’s profile on LinkedIn, a professional community of 1 billion members.View mutual connections with Jonathan. Jonathan can introduce you to 5 people at William Knell and Company L…
https://ca.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-gardiner-20700a14a
info
“the money was labeled with the handwritten name of a Bahamian politician who was allegedly connected to a planned Bahamas-bound shipment in November 2024 involving 900 to 1,000 kilograms of cocaine from Colombia”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence for this claim consists of general Wikipedia and news entries about 'Money' and does not contain information regarding the specific labels on the money or the Bahamian politician.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Money is any item or verifiable record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts, such as taxes, in a particular country or socio-economic context. [1] The pr…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Money
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web search NEUTRAL — MSN Money is your source for the latest stock market quotes, business, economic & financial news, as well as premium research tools to empower your investing journey
https://www.msn.com/money
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web search NEUTRAL — Money has been helping people enrich their lives for over 50 years. We provide news, educational resources and tools to achieve financial success.
https://money.com/
help
“During a video-recorded meeting in 2024 between the Bahamian politician and a charged Colombian drug trafficker, they discussed details of shipping "a large amount" from Colombia through the Bahamas”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the search results to support or refute the claim regarding a video-recorded meeting between a politician and a Colombian trafficker.
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“Gardiner is alleged to have been part of the drug conspiracy since at least 2023”
CORROBORATED
Two sources mention that Jonathan Gardiner was charged with smuggling cocaine since 2023.
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“The complaint refers to Gardiner as "player."”
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“In a 2024 indictment in Georgia mentioned in the complaint, about 14 people were charged with federal narcotics offense related to a drug trafficking organization”
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“The complaint describes Gardiner as a foreign supplier of cocaine for the Georgia drug traffic organization”
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“Sometime in February 2023, Gardiner allegedly supplied a multi-kilogram shipment of cocaine to the Georgia drug trafficking organization that was sent by him from the Bahamas to Miami, Florida”
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“Gardiner was previously convicted in 2006 and sentenced to about 18 years in prison for federal narcotics and money laundering offenses”
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“He was deported to the Bahamas sometime in 2014”
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“The other 10 survivors were flown to awaiting emergency medical services at Melbourne Orlando International Airport”
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“All were reported to be in stable condition”
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“The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said it would investigate the crash”
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info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.