The American woman reported missing after falling out of a boat in the Bahamas has been identified, ABC News reports.
Lynette Hooker, 55, of Onsted, Michigan, was on an 8-foot dinghy with her husband, Brian, en route to their yacht, the “Soulmate,” on Elbow Cay when she went overboard at around 7:30 p.m. on Saturday (April 4), the Royal Bahamas Police Force said. Poor weather was reportedly the cause of Hooker falling out of the dinghy, according to Hope Town Volunteer Fire & Rescue Assistant Chief Stafford Patterson.
“Strong currents subsequently carried her away, and he lost sight of her,” the Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a press release obtained by ABC News.
It’s unclear whether Hooker had a life jacket on when she went overboard, according to Patterson. The 55-year-old was holding the boat key at the time, which caused the dinghy’s engine to shut off, according to police.
Brian Hooker paddled to a marina and reported his wife overboard to an individual who then called police at around 4:00 a.m., the Royal Bahamas Police Force confirmed. Authorities and volunteers from both the Bahamas and U.S. are taking part in ongoing search and rescue efforts, the department said on Monday (April 6).
Lynette’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, shared a statement regarding her mother’s disappearance on Monday.
“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,” she said.
“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 added.
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