The U.S. Coast Guard will search the sailboat Soulmate for evidence after Lynette Hooker disappeared while returning to the vessel in a dinghy in the Sea of Abaco. GPS data recovered from the boat reportedly contradicts the location provided by her husband, prompting Bahamian approval for a U.S. dive team to search the waters. Brian Hooker was detained April 8 and released five days later; he denies any wrongdoing and has not been charged. Investigators are examining the boat, digital devices and maritime data as the inquiry continues.
Sailboat 'Soulmate' to Be Searched After Woman Disappears in Bahamas; GPS Data Prompts New Investigation
Sailboat becomes focus of search for woman who disappeared in the Bahamas while on vacation with her husband
The U.S. Coast Guard will conduct a detailed search of the sailboat Soulmate for evidence related to the disappearance of 57-year-old Lynette Hooker, U.S. and Bahamian officials and news reports say. Hooker vanished last month while she and her husband, Brian Hooker, were vacationing aboard the vessel in the Sea of Abaco in the Bahamas.
Search Operations Underway
Authorities seized the couple's boat after it left the Bahamas. The vessel was temporarily docked in Fort Pierce, Florida, and later moved to Fort Lauderdale, where U.S. investigators plan to search it for physical and digital evidence. Former FBI special agent Nicole Parker told Fox News that investigators will seize and analyze any available digital devices and computer systems.
The FBI will search for evidence connected to Lynette Hooker’s disappearance in the Bahamas and on the sailboat she shared with her husband, Brian Hooker (Facebook/Lynette Hooker)
New Dive Search Based on GPS Data
Bahamian officials approved the deployment of a U.S. dive team to investigate the waters where Hooker went missing. Officials say GPS data recovered from the boat indicated a search area that conflicts with the location initially provided by Brian Hooker, prompting the expanded underwater search for evidence and, if possible, for Hooker's body.
Husband's Account and Detention
Brian Hooker has told investigators that his wife fell out of their dinghy while they were returning to the sailboat and that she had the engine key when she went overboard, forcing him to paddle the dinghy to shore before reporting her missing. He was detained by Bahamian authorities on April 8 during the early stages of the investigation and released five days later. Brian Hooker has denied any wrongdoing and has not been formally charged in connection with his wife's disappearance.
Lynette Hooker, left, and her husband, Brian Hooker, right, during a boat trip (Facebook/Lynette Hooker)
"I've never harmed Lynette, and I would never harm Lynette, and I want to find Lynette," Brian Hooker told NBC News in April.
Family Comments and Background
Family members have described tensions between the couple. Karli Aylesworth, Hooker's daughter, told NBC News her mother and Brian had a "history of not getting along, especially when they drink." Public records show Lynette Hooker and her husband were both involved in an incident in 2015 in which each accused the other of assault; a warrant was ultimately denied due to insufficient evidence about who started the incident.
Brian Hooker's attorney, Terrel Butler, has told The Independent that his client "categorically and unequivocally denies any wrongdoing" and has been cooperating with investigators. Butler added that his client's primary concern is continuing the search for his wife and that the ordeal has left him in a fragile emotional state.
Public Profile
Before the disappearance, the couple operated a YouTube travel channel called "The Sailing Hookers," where they documented their voyages and life at sea. Investigators continue to review the vessel, digital evidence and maritime data as the search and inquiry proceed.
As the investigation continues, officials urge anyone with information to come forward and say they will release further details as evidence is processed and verified.
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