The U.S. Coast Guard has been authorized to search for a Michigan woman who disappeared during a nighttime boat trip in the Bahamas with her husband.
The move follows newly obtained GPS data that led investigators to reopen the search, after forensic evidence appeared to contradict the husband’s account of where he was on the night she went missing.
Lynette Hooker, a 55-year-old American mother and sailor, disappeared on April 4 and was reported missing the following day by her husband, Brian Hooker, 59.
Hooker told authorities that his wife fell from their eight-foot dinghy during a nighttime trip and was swept away along with the boat keys, leaving him unable to restart the engine and forcing him to paddle for hours before reaching shore.
He was initially arrested by Bahamian officials in connection with her disappearance, but was later released. He has denied any wrongdoing and has not been criminally charged.
A source disclosed to CBS News on Thursday that the Royal Bahamas Police Force has granted permission for the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service to search new areas for Lynette Hooker, whose body has yet to be found.
GPS data from Brian Hooker’s electronic devices on the night of his wife’s disappearance indicates he stopped in the Sea of Abaco before returning, giving investigators a more precise location to search for his wife’s body.
Lynette Hooker’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, expressed skepticism about her stepfather’s account of her mother’s disappearance, saying she was an experienced sailor and swimmer and would not have been swept away by strong currents.
“For one, I don’t understand how she got the key,” Aylesworth told CBS News, adding, “Brian’s always driving. So he basically is in charge of the key. So the fact that my mom had it doesn’t make any sense.”
Brian Hooker’s attorney disagreed with the account, according to CNN, telling the outlet that investigators have not found any evidence against his client.
Brian and Lynette had built a life together at sea, sailing for over a decade and documenting their life through joyful social media posts. Their content showed them traveling across open waters aboard their boat, the Soulmate.
Earlier this month, the Soulmate was seized by the U.S. Coast Guard, with investigators examining whether an infrared camera aboard the vessel contained evidence relevant to Lynette’s disappearance.
Hooker, who returned to the United States 10 days after his wife’s disappearance, reportedly to care for his sick mother, told CBS on April 14 that he believes his wife may still be alive.
“I believe I’ve been told that people have lasted in the Bahamas after falling overboard for days and even weeks,” he told CBS News.
The Daily Beast has contacted the U.S. Coast Guard for comment.
