US Coast Guard Seeks Permission for New Dive Searches in Bahamas as Data Contradicts Husband’s Account in Lynette Hooker Case
The U.S. Coast Guard has formally requested permission from Bahamian officials to deploy divers to additional locations in the search for Lynette Hooker, a 55-year-old American mother and experienced sailor who disappeared in early April, according to a U.S. official with direct knowledge of the investigation.
The request comes after investigators uncovered inconsistencies between data retrieved from the electronic devices of her husband, Brian Hooker, and the accounts he initially gave to authorities about where to search for his wife, the official told CNN.
Brian Hooker, 56, told police that Lynette fell from an 8-foot dinghy in rough seas near the Abaco Islands while the couple was returning to their yacht, the Soulmate, on the evening of April 5. But location data from his devices now appears to undercut that timeline and location, sources familiar with the case said.
The Coast Guard is conducting a criminal investigation into the disappearance. Agency spokespeople declined to comment Wednesday, citing the ongoing nature of the probe. The shift in search strategy signals that investigators are zeroing in on the possibility that the incident did not occur where Brian Hooker originally claimed.
Brian Hooker has repeatedly denied any involvement in his wife’s disappearance. He was detained and questioned multiple times by Bahamian police shortly after reporting her missing and was later released without charges.
CNN has reached out to Brian Hooker’s attorney for comment and has also sought additional details from the Royal Bahamas Police Force. No response has been received so far.
The Michigan couple, both U.S. nationals, had been living aboard their sailboat for more than a decade, documenting their travels and life at sea on social media under the handle “Sailing Soulmate.” Friends and family described them as a tight-knit pair who had weathered many storms together — both literally and figuratively.
The case has drawn widespread attention, partly because of the couple’s online presence and the growing number of missing Americans abroad. Advocates for missing persons have urged authorities to keep the public informed as new leads emerge.
The investigation remains active and continues to develop.