American woman missing in Bahamas after husband says she fell overboard

To see more of Griff Jenkins’ interview with Lynette Hooker’s daughter, tune in to Fox and Friends on Wednesday morning.

HOPE TOWN, Bahamas — An American woman who disappeared in the Bahamas after her husband said he fell off a small boat was enjoying her retirement dream of sailing when tragedy struck, a friend said. Along the way, the couple was building a social media following and connections across the country.

According to Bahamian authorities, Lynette Hooker, 55, and her husband, Brian Hooker, 58, left the Abaco Inn in Hope Town for their yacht on Elbow Cay in a small boat around 7:30 p.m. Saturday, four minutes after sunset that night.

Brian Hooker reportedly told authorities that while the couple were on the smaller boat, known as a dinghy, Lynette fell into the water with her ignition key, causing the engine to shut down. According to Brian, the current carried him away as he paddled back to a marina in Marsh Harbor. Lynette was reported missing around 4 a.m. on Sunday.

John Waters, a friend of the couple, told Fox News Digital that he met Lynette at an oyster bar in Panama City Beach, Florida, in 2023. He said the couple went on a road trip around the Gulf of America.

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“Their new way of life was this boat they bought in Texas. They worked on it for a year,” Waters said.

He stated that the couple were both very nice and that they would set out to pursue their retirement dream of sailing. He said the couple “wasn’t that experienced” in boating.

Three days after they began searching for Lynette, authorities have provided little response.

General view of Abaco Inn, Hope Town, Bahamas, Tuesday, April 7, 2026. Brian Hooker and his wife, Lynette Hooker, were seen having dinner there on Saturday night before Lynette was reported missing at sea after falling off the couple’s boat. (AJ Skuy for Fox News Digital) (AJ Skuy for Fox News Digital)

Richard Cook, leader of the Hope Town Volunteer Fire and Rescue team, said: PEOPLE No foul play is suspected.

“These were a lot of bad decisions,” Cook said. “It was night time, very windy, the moon wasn’t out yet so it was pitch dark and the conditions were very rough for the small boat they were in.”

WATCH: Daughter of American missing in Bahamas says mother never used small boat

Lynette Hooker’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, who is no relation to Brian, told Fox News’ Griff Jenkins that Brian Hooker had a history of violence against her mother. He did several interviews with media outlets on Tuesday, including Fox News’ Griff Jenkins.

“I believe something may have happened to him,” he said. “There’s a history of them strangling him and threatening to throw him overboard. So the fact that this is actually happening makes me believe there’s more to the story.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Brian Hooker several times but did not hear back. He was not charged with a crime.

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Aylesworth told Fox News Digital that Brian Hooker’s behavior would change when he was drinking alcohol.

“He/she starts to act smarter and attack you more and adopts a ‘I know this will bother you, so I’m going to do this’ kind of attitude.

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Aylesworth described his mother as a “very fit person” who did not lose her balance on the boat.

“I’m confused as to why he had the keys because he never used a boat. It was always Brian. So the story doesn’t make a lot of sense right now,” Aylesworth said.

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An American woman went missing after she fell overboard and was swept away by strong currents during a boating trip in the Bahamas on Saturday, local police said. (Fox News)

Geoff Fahringer, former Collier County dive team member The Sheriff’s Office in Florida told Fox News Digital it does not suspect foul play.

“Unfortunately, from my experience, this is unfortunately a pretty common occurrence; I’ve seen this before, considering the circumstances of this entire accident,” Fahringer said. he said.

WATCH: Boating expert says Bahamas cruise incident ‘common occurrence’

Authorities have not said whether Lynette Hooker was wearing a life jacket when she fell from the small boat.

The couple is quite active on social media and often shows off their yachts. their latest Instagram post On Friday afternoon, they showed Lynette on a boat with the caption: “Aren’t you going anywhere for a while?!” it said.

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A 56-year-old American woman, identified as Lynette Hooker, disappeared after falling overboard during a boat trip in the Bahamas, according to local authorities. (Brian Hooker/Facebook)

Royal Bahamas Police Force The Royal Bahamas Defense Force and Hope Town Fire and Rescue are investigating the woman’s disappearance.

Currently US State Department The Bahamas has issued a level 2 travel advisory for the Bahamas, which says it is below level 2 travel warning and urges Americans to “be more careful” because of crime, beach safety, and jet ski and boating dangers.

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General view of Marsh Harbor Shipyards, Bahamas, Tuesday, April 7, 2026. Brian Hooker, 58, reportedly rowed his boat towards the shipyards on Sunday morning after losing his wife Lynette Hooker at sea. (AJ Skuy for Fox News Digital) (AJ Skuy for Fox News Digital)

A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the agency is aware of reports about the missing American and is working with Bahamian authorities.

Boating in the Bahamas is not well regulated and the State Department said “injuries and deaths have occurred.”