An 8-foot dinghy connected to the disappearance of Lynette Hooker in the Bahamas was seized by U.S. Coast Guard investigators on Thursday. The dinghy, which Brian Hooker says he shared with his wife when she vanished in April, might offer clues about that fateful night.
CBS News documented as the dinghy was transported by a tender boat to a Coast Guard cutter. Investigators, along with a cadaver dog, examined the vessel. An investigator with the Coast Guard Investigative Service was seen scrutinizing the dinghy and examining a life jacket, hinting at a detailed investigation of its contents.
The dinghy could shed light on the events leading to the disappearance of 55-year-old Lynette Hooker from Michigan.
Brian Hooker reported Lynette missing on April 5. He initially informed investigators that she “bounced off” during rough waters while they were on a night ride aboard the dinghy from Elbow Cay. According to his account, she fell overboard with the boat’s keys, leaving him to paddle back to shore.
After questioning, Bahamian authorities detained Brian Hooker for five days, but he was later released. He has returned to the U.S. and denies any involvement or wrongdoing. Lynette Hooker remains missing.
Authorities have seized GPS data from an electronic device which contradicts Brian Hooker’s explanation for the events of that night. This discrepancy has prompted the continued search in the Bahamas. Additionally, the couple’s sailboat, used during their travels in the Bahamas, was confiscated by the Coast Guard last month.
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