Lynette Hooker, 55, has been missing since April 4 after reportedly falling overboard from a dinghy in the Bahamas. Her husband, Brian Hooker, 58, told authorities she slipped in poor weather while holding the boat’s key, causing the engine to shut off. He was detained by Bahamian police on April 8 but released without charges on April 13.
Aylesworth, Lynette’s daughter, has expressed skepticism about Brian’s account. She told ABC News the situation feels "surreal" and questioned how her mother, an experienced sailor, could have fallen off the boat. She also mentioned doubts about the couple’s relationship, citing a "history of not getting along, especially when they drink."
Brian Hooker initially remained in the Bahamas to assist in the search but later left the country, citing his mother’s poor health. Aylesworth visited the couple’s yacht and retrieved some of her mother’s belongings. The U.S. Coast Guard has opened a separate investigation alongside Bahamian authorities.
The couple had been sailing in the Caribbean for years, documenting their adventures on social media under the name "the Sailing Hookers." Aylesworth told NBC’s Dateline she fears Brian may "get away with this" and walk away a free man. She described her mother as a "great person" who "didn’t deserve this."
The search for Lynette Hooker continues, with cadaver dogs deployed on April 16 to assist in the investigation.