The US Coast Guard has taken custody of the small 8-foot dinghy that Lynette Hooker’s husband said was the last place he saw her, authorities said, as part of a criminal investigation into the 55-year-old American’s disappearance in the Bahamas.
A Coast Guard vessel equipped with cadaver dogs, divers and search gear arrived in the Bahamas earlier this week and began operations in the Sea of Abaco. Video footage shows an orange Coast Guard dinghy operating near Hope Town alongside a Royal Bahamas Defence Force vessel, and search teams were seen wading in shallow water near a nearby cay.
Officials say Brian Hooker reported his wife missing on April 5, telling investigators she fell from the dinghy the prior evening while they were returning to their yacht, Soulmate, amid choppy conditions. The Coast Guard opened a criminal investigation on April 8 and later seized the couple’s yacht as part of the inquiry.
A US Coast Guard cutter arrived in the Bahamas on Tuesday afternoon as part of a federal criminal investigation into Lynette Hooker's disappearance. - Courtesy Jonathan Simms
Investigators renewed search efforts after identifying apparent inconsistencies between Brian Hooker’s location data and his statements about where they had been that night and where to search, a U.S. official familiar with the probe told reporters. Federal authorities have not publicly named a suspect.
Finding Hooker’s remains could yield crucial forensic evidence, officials say. To aid identification, relatives provided DNA mouth swabs this week; Hooker’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, and her parents submitted samples at investigators’ request.
Brian Hooker was questioned and briefly arrested by Bahamian police before being released without charge; he has since returned to the United States and denies wrongdoing. His attorney, Terrel Butler, has said he is cooperating with investigators and declined to comment on the most recent search activity.
Authorities have emphasized the investigation remains active and ongoing. The Coast Guard and Royal Bahamas authorities continue focused searches in the Sea of Abaco while reviewing physical evidence and digital location data to determine whether Hooker’s disappearance was accidental or the result of foul play.
