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Fiancée Says Sea World Chief Pilot 'Broke Down' and Used Cocaine Before Deadly Mid‑Air Crash

The fiancée of Sea World’s chief pilot told a Queensland coroner that he had a breakdown in the weeks before the Jan. 2, 2023 mid‑air collision that killed four people and that he used cocaine on New Year’s Eve. Multiple witnesses said they observed suspected drug use at the holiday party. Although cocaine was detected in the pilot’s system, investigators have said he was unlikely to have been directly impaired during the crash. Further coronial hearings continued through Dec. 8.

11:46 PM, 12/02/2025Society
Fiancée Says Sea World Chief Pilot 'Broke Down' and Used Cocaine Before Deadly Mid‑Air Crash

Fiancée Testifies at Queensland Coroner’s Hearing

The fiancée of Sea World Helicopters’ chief pilot testified at a Coroners Court of Queensland hearing that he suffered a breakdown in the weeks before a mid‑air collision on Jan. 2, 2023, that killed four people. The hearing took place in Brisbane on Dec. 2, where witnesses described the pilot’s state of mind and reported observations of drug use in the days before the crash.

Breakdown and Pressure at Work

Kosha Richardson‑Johnson told the court she found her fiancé, Ashley Jenkinson, crying in a closet in the days leading up to Christmas 2022. She said he told her, “You don’t know what kind of pressure I’m under,” explaining he had been working long hours to complete paperwork and prepare new helicopters for the holiday season.

Witnesses Describe Suspected Cocaine Use

Richardson‑Johnson testified that she saw Jenkinson use cocaine at a New Year’s Eve party in 2022, with his last line taken around 3 a.m. She said she had seen him use cocaine at social events roughly six to eight times a year but did not believe he was addicted.

Other witnesses corroborated seeing what appeared to be cocaine use. Ross Meadows, a friend and director at a digital marketing company, said he observed Jenkinson inhale a white substance around 9 p.m. at a holiday gathering and told him, “Nothing good comes from that s---.” Meadows described Jenkinson as a "phenomenal pilot" who took his work seriously but said he did not feel compelled to report the behaviour.

Autopsy and Investigation Findings

Autopsy tests detected cocaine in Jenkinson’s system. However, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau previously concluded the pilot was "unlikely to have been directly affected by the drug at the time of the accident." Investigators continue to examine multiple factors as part of the coronial inquest.

Victims and Ongoing Hearings

The collision, which occurred near the Sea World theme park on Australia’s Gold Coast, killed Ashley Jenkinson, 40; Vanessa Tadros, 36, of Sydney; and Ron and Diane Hughes, a U.K. couple aged 65 and 67. Additional inquests into the collision were scheduled to continue through Monday, Dec. 8.

Note: The Coroners Court of Queensland and Sea World Helicopters have not issued immediate public comments on the testimony reported at this hearing.

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Fiancée Says Sea World Chief Pilot 'Broke Down' and Used Cocaine Before Deadly Mid‑Air Crash - CRBC News