Husband arrested after wife vanished overboard near Elbow Cay, Bahamas
Brian Hooker, 59, was taken into custody Wednesday in Abaco after his wife Lynette went missing April 4. The U.S. Coast Guard has opened a criminal investigation.
Man held in Bahamas over wife's disappearance at sea
The husband of a missing American woman has been arrested in the Bahamas after she reportedly fell overboard from a small dinghy, abcnews4.com reports. The Royal Bahamas Police Force confirmed Wednesday that a 59-year-old man was taken into custody in Abaco and is being questioned in connection with the incident.
"The arrest is related to the disappearance of a female who was reported missing from an 8-foot hard-bottom dinghy while en route to Elbow Cay on Saturday, April 4," the police said in a news release. Authorities did not confirm whether the man has been formally charged.
Lynette Hooker, 55, was travelling with her husband Brian Hooker from Hope Town to Elbow Cay when she fell overboard, taking the boat keys with her and causing the engine to cut out. Brian Hooker told police that strong currents carried her away and that he lost sight of her before paddling to shore. The couple left Hope Town around 7:30 p.m. Saturday; Brian Hooker arrived at the Marsh Harbour Boat Yard around 4 p.m. Sunday and reported the incident — more than 16 hours later.
The U.S. Coast Guard told the Associated Press it has opened a criminal investigation into the case.
On Wednesday, Brian Hooker broke his silence in a Facebook post, writing that he is "heartbroken over the recent boat accident in unpredictable seas and high winds that caused my beloved Lynette to fall from our small dinghy near Elbow Cay." He added that "despite desperate attempts to reach her, the winds and currents drove us further apart," and said finding her remains "my sole focus."
Lynette's daughter, Karli Aylesworth, issued a statement calling for a thorough investigation and citing what she described as "prior issues" that had been brought to her attention. "If this truly was an accident, I can understand and live with it," Aylesworth told Fox News. "However, there needs to be an intensive review of the facts and circumstances of this tragic incident before that can be determined." She also requested involvement from federal, state, or local U.S. authorities alongside the Royal Bahamas Police Force.
The U.S. State Department said it is working with Bahamian authorities to assist the family. The Bahamas is currently under a Level 2 travel advisory, warning visitors to exercise increased caution. The advisory notes that boating in the region "is not well regulated" and that "injuries and deaths have occurred."
The last post on the couple's joint Instagram account, "The Sailing Hookers," was published April 3 — the day before the incident — and showed a boat stranded in the water with the caption: "Not going anywhere for a while?!"
Source: Google News BS — Crime