Bahamian authorities plan to suspend search for missing American woman amid US Coast Guard criminal probe

GREAT ABACO ISLAND, Bahamas  — Bahamian authorities mean to wrapper up their hunt for missing American pistillate Lynette Hooker successful the adjacent future, portion the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that its transgression probe into her disappearance continues. 

The land nation's subject says the hunt could beryllium suspended arsenic aboriginal arsenic Thursday, according to an NBC report. After analyzing "tide, drift and wind," authorities accidental they are moving retired of locations to search, the study said. 

The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed to Fox News Digital connected Wednesday that its transgression probe into Lynette Hooker's husband, Brian Hooker, remains ongoing. 

Brian Hooker stops by the Central Police Station to prime up his wedding ringing and ticker with his lawyer, Terrel A. Butler successful Freeport, The Bahamas, Tuesday, April 14, 2026.  His ring, which helium is wearing connected his pinky was not with him erstwhile helium was released from jailhouse past nighttime aft being questioned by constabulary successful the disappearance of his wife, Lynette Hooker.  (Matthew Symons for Fox News Digital)

Meanwhile, Hooker's attorney, Terrel Butler, told Fox News Digital connected Wednesday greeting that Brian is waiting for Bahamian constabulary to instrumentality the keys to his vessel earlier helium resumes his ain hunt for Lynette. 

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A section vessel skipper told Fox News Digital during a recreation of Brian and Lynette Hooker's doomed dinghy thrust that helium was shocked Lynette's assemblage hadn't been found. 

Mo Monestime has spent 15 years chartering boats successful the Great Abaco Island area.

Members of The Royal Bahamas Police Force inspect the yacht, Soulmate, moored adjacent enactment successful Marsh Harbour, The Bahamas, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. A transgression probe has been launched into the aft Lynette Hooker reportedly fell overboard portion connected an evening vessel travel with her husband, Brian Hooker astatine the weekend. (AJ Skuy for Fox News Digital)

"Not being found, that’s the mystery," helium said. 

"It is precise hard to disappear, because, again, we’re truthful adjacent to land," Monestime continued. "So if you bash autumn overboard [and] drown, idiosyncratic volition spot you the adjacent day. Again, we tin spot bottom, you know? I’ll beryllium driving the boat, I volition spot stingrays, I volition spot turtles, truthful I would spot a quality body. Somebody would spot something. Somebody would accidental something, like, ‘Hey, we conscionable saw thing unusual successful the water.'"

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Monestime said drownings hap occasionally adjacent Elbow Cay, but past reiterated that victims are recovered quickly. 

Yachts anchored adjacent Aunt Pat's Bay adjacent Elbow Cay disconnected Great Abaco Island successful The Bahamas connected April 12, 2026. Brian and Lynette Hooker's vessel was anchored successful this country earlier Lynette disappeared connected April 5, 2026. (Peter D'Abrosca/Fox News Digital)

"Again, you could spot onshore each the way, the full time," helium said. "Even if you autumn overboard successful transportation dark, you inactive could spot the lights from the shore."

Brian Hooker, 58, was arrested and jailed past Wednesday arsenic constabulary investigated his wife's disappearance. The brace near the Abaco Inn successful their dinghy astatine astir 7:30 p.m. connected April 4 during unsmooth weather. Choppy seas and precocious winds caused Lynette to autumn overboard with the initiation cardinal successful her pocket, disabling the boat, Brian said. 

Lynette Hooker went missing aft she fell disconnected a tiny vessel connected Saturday evening. Her husband, Brian Hooker, reported her missing aboriginal Sunday morning. (Brian Hooker and Lynette Hooker/Facebook)

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He was released from custody Monday nighttime aft 5 days, but the probe remains ongoing. 

Brian said that successful the ensuing panic aft Lynette fell disconnected the dinghy, helium tossed a flotation instrumentality to her. He said helium thought she was attempting to aquatics to their anchored yacht, and called retired to her for astir an hour. He paddled and drifted for astir 8 hours earlier washing ashore astatine Marsh Harbour connected Great Abaco Island, wherever section information guards astatine a marina assisted him.

The mates from Michigan was pursuing their status imagination of surviving connected their yacht and sailing astir the world. 

Brian said successful a Facebook station that helium was "heartbroken" by Lynette's disappearance. 

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"I americium heartbroken implicit the caller vessel mishap successful unpredictable seas and precocious winds that caused my beloved Lynette to autumn from our tiny dinghy adjacent Elbow Cay successful the Bahamas," helium wrote. "Despite hopeless attempts to scope her, the winds and currents drove america further apart. We proceed to hunt for her and that is my sole focus."

Hooker said Tuesday upon his merchandise that helium intends to proceed to hunt for Lynette.