Husband arrested after wife Lynette Hooker went overboard near Elbow Cay, Bahamas

Brian Hooker, 58, was arrested Wednesday after his wife Lynette, 55, fell from a dinghy near Elbow Cay in the Bahamas. A criminal investigation has been opened.

Michigan man arrested as search continues for wife missing in Bahamas

Brian Hooker, 58, was arrested Wednesday evening after his wife, Lynette Hooker, 55, of Michigan, was reported missing in the Bahamas following an incident in which she fell overboard from a small dinghy, abc7chicago.com reports.

The couple had departed Hope Town on the Abaco Islands for Elbow Cay at approximately 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. They were heading to their yacht, "Soulmate," when bad weather caused Lynette Hooker to go overboard, Brian Hooker told the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

He told police that strong currents carried her out to sea. Lynette Hooker was holding the boat key when she fell, causing the 8-foot hard-bottom dinghy's engine to shut off. Brian Hooker paddled the vessel back to shore, arriving at a marina around 4 a.m. Sunday, where he reported his wife overboard to an individual who then alerted police.

Multiple sources told ABC News that a criminal investigation had been opened into whether any wrongdoing occurred. The U.S. Coast Guard will lead the probe, according to a source familiar with the investigation.

Brian Hooker spoke publicly for the first time on Wednesday, describing himself as "heartbroken over the recent boat accident." In a statement posted to social media, he said "unpredictable seas and high winds" caused his "beloved Lynette to fall from our small dinghy" near Elbow Cay.

"Despite desperate attempts to reach her, the winds and currents drove us further apart. We continue to search for her and that is my sole focus," he said. He also thanked the agencies "who have worked tirelessly in an ongoing effort to bring Lynette back to us."

The search and rescue operation — conducted by land, sea and air — involves multiple agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard and the Royal Bahamas Police Force. Authorities confirmed the search for Lynette Hooker remains ongoing.

Lynette Hooker's daughter, Karli Aylesworth, has called for a "full and complete investigation" into her mother's disappearance. She told ABC News her mother is fit and a good swimmer. Aylesworth described what her stepfather told her: "He said that my mom's missing and that she fell out of the boat and that he threw a life jacket to her or something, and he doesn't know if she got it or not."

"I just hope we find her," Aylesworth added.

The Hookers are described as avid sailors who documented their travels on social media under the name "The Sailing Hookers."

The U.S. State Department said it is "aware of reports regarding a missing American near Elbow Cay" and is "working with Bahamian authorities to provide assistance," a spokesperson said Monday.

Source: Google News BS — Crime