Husband arrested after woman fell overboard, went missing in Bahamas, police say

(TNND) — The husband of an American woman missing in the Bahamas after reportedly falling overboard from a dinghy has been arrested, according to police.

The Royal Bahamas Police Force said a 59-year-old man, who was not named, was taken into custody Wednesday in Abaco and is being questioned.

“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,” a news release said.

Police did not confirm whether he has been charged. The U.S. Coast Guard told the Associated Press it has opened a criminal investigation.

Lynette Hooker, 55, was traveling from Hope Town to Elbow Cay with her husband, Brian Hooker, when she fell overboard with the boat keys, causing the engine to shut off, police said.

Brian Hooker told police that strong currents carried her away and that he lost sight of her before paddling to shore.

He later broke his silence in a Facebook post Wednesday, 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 in the Bahamas.”

“Despite desperate attempts to reach her, the winds and currents drove us further apart,” he continued. “We continue to search for her, and that is my sole focus.”

Meanwhile, Karli Aylesworth, Hooker’s daughter, called for a thorough investigation and pointed to what she described as “prior issues” brought to her attention.

“If this truly was an accident, I can understand and live with it,” Aylesworth said in a statement to Fox News. “However, there needs to be an intensive review of the facts and circumstances of this tragic incident before that can be determined.

“While the Royal Bahamian police are investigating this matter, I would also appreciate any involvement of federal, state, or local authorities to look into the circumstances of this tragic situation,” she added.

Police said the couple left Hope Town around 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The husband arrived at the Marsh Harbour Boat Yard around 4 p.m. Sunday and reported the incident.

The U.S. State Department said it is working with Bahamian authorities to assist. The Bahamas is currently under a Level 2 travel advisory, advising visitors to exercise increased caution.

“Boating is not well regulated,” the advisory states. “Injuries and deaths have occurred.”

The last post on the couple’s Instagram page, “The Sailing Hookers,” was shared April 3 and showed a boat stuck in the water with the caption: “Not going anywhere for a while?!”