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Coast Guard opens criminal investigation into American woman missing in Bahamas

Authorities say strong currents and turbulent weather swept Lynette Hooker from a dinghy, and the search has shifted to a recovery operation.

  • On Tuesday, Bahamian authorities transitioned the search for 55-year-old American Lynette Hooker to a recovery operation after she fell from an 8-foot dinghy near Elbow Cay on Saturday night.
  • Brian Hooker told police his wife fell amid strong currents while returning to the island, claiming she was not wearing a personal flotation device and the boat lost power after her engine safety lanyard detached.
  • The Hope Town Volunteer Fire and Rescue team initiated an extensive six-hour search on Sunday morning after Brian reported the incident, with local police and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force later utilizing drone technology and professional divers.
  • Citing limited information, daughter Karli Aylesworth has retained legal counsel to seek answers, while the U.S. State Department confirmed it is "working with Bahamian authorities to provide assistance" regarding the missing American.
  • The incident emerges amid a U.S. State Department Level 2 travel advisory for the Bahamas, which cautions that boating in the region "is not well regulated" and notes prior injuries and deaths in similar maritime conditions.
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US Coast Guard opens criminal investigation into American woman's disappearance in the Bahamas

The U.S. Coast Guard is leading a criminal investigation into Lynette Hooker’s disappearance in the Bahamas after she was reported overboard.

·Kansas City, United States
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CNN broke the news in Atlanta, United States on Wednesday, April 8, 2026.
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