American woman missing at sea after going overboard on dinghy in the Bahamas: Police
An American woman is missing in the Bahamas after she reportedly went overboard while traveling on a dinghy and strong currents carried her out to sea, according to police.
The woman and her husband had departed Hope Town on the Abaco Islands for Elbow Cay around 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, according to the Royal Bahamas Police Force.
They were en route to their yacht -- dubbed the "Soulmate" -- when, her husband said, the woman fell overboard due to poor weather, Hope Town Volunteer Fire & Rescue Assistant Chief Stafford Patterson said.
"Strong currents subsequently carried her away, and he lost sight of her," the Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a press release.
Patterson identified the missing woman as 55-year-old Lynette Hooker, of Onsted, Michigan. It is unknown if she had a life jacket on, he said.
She was holding the boat key when she went overboard, causing the 8-foot hard-bottom dinghy's engine to shut off, police noted.
Her husband, 58-year-old Brian Hooker, subsequently paddled the boat to a marina, arriving at around 4 a.m. Sunday, according to Patterson. He reported his wife overboard to an individual who then alerted police, the Royal Bahamas Police Force said.
A search and rescue operation is ongoing, the Royal Bahamas Police Force said Tuesday. The effort involves Bahamian and U.S. authorities and volunteers, according to police. The U.S. Coast Guard launched an aircraft to support the search and rescue, Patterson noted.
The investigation is ongoing, the Royal Bahamas Police Force said.
Karli Aylesworth, the daughter of Lynette Hooker, released a statement on Monday saying, "I have been privy to very little information. My sole concern is to find out what happened to my mother and make sure a full and complete investigation is performed into her disappearance."
"While the Royal Bahamian police are investigating this matter, I would also appreciate any involvement of the federal, state or local authorities to look into the circumstances of this tragic situation," Aylesworth said.
The U.S. State Department is "aware of reports regarding a missing American near Elbow Cay" and is "working with Bahamian authorities to provide assistance," a spokesperson for the agency said Monday.
The State Department previously warned of potentially deadly boating dangers in the Bahamas. A travel advisory issued in March 2025 states that "boating is not well regulated" on the islands, and "injuries and deaths have occurred."
ABC News' Mariam Khan and Rachel DeLima contributed to this report.
