World  | 

US Man Arrested in Bahamas Over Michigan Woman Who Went Overboard

Coast Guard leads criminal probe as search shifts to recovery
Posted Apr 9, 2026 12:30 AM CDT
US Man Arrested in Bahamas Over Michigan Woman Who Went Overboard
Stock photo.   (Getty Images / Stacy Matte)

A missing-person case in the Bahamas is now drawing criminal investigators from two countries and questions from the woman's family, CBS News reports. Bahamian authorities say they've detained a 59-year-old US citizen for questioning in the disappearance of Michigan's Lynette Hooker; they're not naming the man, citing policy, but the AP reports that Hooker's husband, Brian, has been arrested, and multiple outlets are referring to him as a suspect. He claims she went overboard from their 8-foot dinghy near Elbow Cay on Saturday night, but Hooker's family has raised questions about his story and is calling for a full investigation, and the US Coast Guard says it has launched a criminal probe into the incident. The search in the Abaco Islands has shifted from rescue to recovery, according to the Royal Bahamas Defense Force.

The Coast Guard's investigative arm is taking the lead in its probe, along with federal prosecutors, since the incident involved a US-flagged vessel in international waters. Hooker's husband, Brian, told police she fell into the water with the boat keys, cutting the engine and allowing currents to separate them; he says he paddled ashore, reaching a boatyard around 4am Sunday, People reports. Her daughter, Karli Aylesworth, told CBS News she doubts that account, noting her mother's long sailing experience and questioning why Lynette would have had the keys at all. Brian Hooker has declined interview questions but called the incident a "boat accident" in a social media statement.

Read These Next
Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X
More News: World | Business | Sports | News | Health