FRANTIC SEARCH
Missing tourist who fell overboard from dinghy on Bahamas holiday with husband is pictured as daughter calls for probe
AN American holidaymaker who vanished into the sea after reportedly falling overboard on a boat trip in the Bahama has been identified.
Lynette Hooker, 55, of Onsted, Michigan, fell in the Abaco Islands water while taking a boat ride from Hope Town to Elbow Cay, on Saturday.
Lynette Hooker, 55, has been missing since she fell off a boat into the sea in the Bahama’sCredit: Instagram/the_sailing_hookers
The couple shared a picture of a small boat moored to a jetty before her disappearanceCredit: Instagram/the_sailing_hookers
Lynette fell from the boat during an outing with her husband BrianCredit: Instagram/the_sailing_hookers
Authorities reported the woman missing after she was swept away by strong currents during the sunset journey with her husband, Brian Hooker, 58.
The couple had boarded the eight-foot hard-bottom dinghy at 7.30pm to embark on the estimated 2.5-mile trip, according to local police.
Hours before Lynette’s disappearance, the couple shared a snap of a small boat in murky shallow waters moored to a jetty.
A spokesperson from the Royal Bahamas Police Force said the woman had tumbled from the vessel with the boat’s keys, causing the engine to turn off.
In the chaos that ensued, the unidentified woman was swept out to sea in strong currents, the police said.
Her husband told cops he had lost sight of her in the rough surf, so had paddled the small boat back to the shore.
He arrived at the Marsh Harbour Boat Yard at 4am on Sunday morning – a marathon nine hours later.
When he arrived, he recounted the harrowing incident to an individual who then alerted the cops, according to authorities.
Bahamian and US authorities continue a joint search and rescue, with the US Coast Guard deploying an aircraft to aid the effort.
Lynette’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, released a heartbreaking statement on Monday.
She said: “I have been privy to very little information. My sole concern is to find out what happened to my mother and make sure a full and complete investigation is performed into her disappearance.
“While the Royal Bahamian police are investigating this matter, I would also appreciate any involvement of the federal, state or local authorities to look into the circumstances of this tragic situation.”
A full-scale joint rescue operation was launched between the police on the island of Abaco, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and the Hope Town Fire and Rescue.
The Bahamas falls under a US State Department Level 2 travel advisory.
The advisory has urged Americans to exercise “increased caution” while travelling in the area over concerns for crime, boating, beach safety and weapons.
“Boating is not well-regulated,” one alert warned.
“Injuries and deaths have occurred.”
The advisory also warned that watercraft, like jet skis, may come from unlicensed operators who “sometimes ignore weather forecasts.”
It encouraged travelers to “always follow local weather and marine alerts.”
The investigation into her disappearance remains ongoing.
Cops have urged anyone with information regarding the ordeal to contact authorities.
Drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death in the Bahamas, with only traffic accidents causing more, according to swim education organisation Swim Tayka.
Her husband then paddled the boat back to shore after being unable to find her in the seaCredit: Alamy
Authorities have launched a full scale rescue operation in an attempt to find the missing womanCredit: Getty
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