Brian and Lynette Hooker featured in a photo shared on their social media. the_sailing_hookers/Instagram
The spouse of a lady who was declared missing in the Bahamas after disappearing from a small boat has been taken into custody, according to the Royal Bahamas Police Department.
Lynette Hooker, age 55, from Michigan, and her husband, Brian Hooker, age 58, had left Hope Town in the Abaco Islands for Elbow Cay at approximately 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, the Royal Bahamas Police Department stated.
The pair was heading toward their yacht, named "Soulmate," when inclement weather led to Lynette Hooker’s fall into the water, her husband informed officials.
Brian Hooker was apprehended Wednesday night, law enforcement reported.
Attorney Terrel Butler conveyed in a statement that he had been engaged to represent Brian Hooker.
"I stand by the declaration made by my client: he strongly refutes the claims presented against him," Butler said, further mentioning that he had instructed his client to withhold any further public statements "to protect the integrity of the judicial proceedings."
Brian and Lynette Hooker featured in a photo shared on their social media.the_sailing_hookers/Instagram
The detention follows after various sources disclosed to ABC News that a criminal investigation had commenced to examine possible misconduct in the matter.
The U.S. Coast Guard will spearhead the inquiry, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation.
The search is still underway for Lynette Hooker, according to police sources.
The Hookers’ vessel, “Soulmate,” pictured in Marsh Harbor on Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas, April 8, 2026.ABC News
Her husband recounted to police that strong currents on Saturday carried her out to sea, officials stated. She was grasping the boat key at the time she went overboard, causing the 8-foot rigid inflatable boat's engine to cease functioning, police noted.
Her husband voiced his sentiments for the first time on Wednesday, expressing that he is "devastated by the recent boating incident."
In a statement shared on social media, Brian Hooker mentioned that "unpredictable seas and powerful winds" triggered his "cherished Lynette to tumble from our small dinghy" close to Elbow Cay.
"In spite of frantic attempts to reach her, the winds and currents forced us further apart. We are still seeking her, and that is my singular focus," he conveyed.
Brian Hooker then paddled the boat back to the coast, reaching a marina at around 4 a.m. Sunday, where he informed an individual about his wife’s disappearance, who subsequently notified the police, as per authorities.
The search and rescue mission has been performed by land, sea, and air, involving various entities, including the U.S. Coast Guard and the Royal Bahamas Police Department.
Brian Hooker expressed his gratitude to the agencies "that have dedicated themselves tirelessly in an ongoing endeavor to bring Lynette back to us."
"Thank you to everyone for holding Lynette in your thoughts and for your encouragement of our family during this tough period," he articulated.
Brian and Lynette Hooker featured in a photo shared on their social media.the_sailing_hookers/Instagram
The investigation and pursuit efforts are currently ongoing, police mentioned on Tuesday.
Lynette Hooker’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, has requested a "thorough and complete examination" into the circumstances surrounding her mother’s disappearance.
She informed ABC News that her mother is healthy and a capable swimmer, and described what her stepfather told her concerning his wife’s disappearance.
"He stated that my mom is missing and that she fell out of the boat and that he threw a life jacket to her or something, and he doesn't know if she secured it or not," she recounted.
"I simply hope that we locate her," she added.
The Hookers are enthusiastic sailors, documenting their voyages on social media under the handle "The Sailing Hookers."
The U.S. State Department is "aware of reports concerning a missing American in the vicinity of Elbow Cay" and is "collaborating with Bahamian authorities to offer support," a representative for the agency conveyed on Monday.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com