The daughter of a missing American in the Bahamas says she has learned of prior issues and is calling for a thorough investigation into her mother’s disappearance after authorities say she fell from the boat she was on. Bahamian officials said 55-year-old Lynette Hooker and her husband, 58-year-old Brian Hooker, left the Abaco Inn in Hope Town on a small boat around 7:30 p.m. Saturday and were headed to their yacht, with plans to go to Elbow Cay.
Authorities say, while the couple was on an 8-foot dinghy en route to their yacht, Lynette Hooker fell off the boat with the ignition key, which caused the engine to shut off. The current carried her away, and Brian Hooker paddled to a marina at Marsh Harbor to report his wife missing at about 4:00 a.m. Sunday.
Lynette Hooker’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, said there have been prior issues brought to her attention and emphasized the need for an intensive review of the facts and circumstances before any conclusion is reached. “If this truly was an accident, I can understand and live with it,” Aylesworth said. “However, there needs to be an intensive review of the facts and circumstances of this tragic incident before that can be determined.” She also urged involvement from federal, state, or local authorities to examine the circumstances of the disappearance, and she noted she has been privy to very little information, with her sole concern being to discover what happened to her mother and to ensure a full and complete investigation.
Fox News Digital has contacted U.S. federal authorities as well as local and state authorities in Michigan, where the couple lives. Authorities have not said whether Lynette Hooker was wearing a life jacket at the time she fell from the small boat.
The couple is active on social media, often showcasing their yacht, and their most recent Instagram post, on Friday, showed a small boat with the caption, “Not going anywhere for a while.” The Royal Bahamas Police Force is investigating the disappearance alongside the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and the Hope Town Fire & Rescue.
The U.S. State Department currently places the Bahamas at a Level 2 travel advisory, urging Americans to exercise increased caution due to crime, beach safety, and jet skis and boating. A spokesperson for the State Department said they are aware of reports regarding a missing American near Elbow Cay in the Abacos in The Bahamas.
