Dinghy Seized in Investigation of Missing Michigan Woman in Bahamas

An 8-foot dinghy, which Brian Hooker claims he and his wife, Lynette Hooker, were aboard when she vanished in the Bahamas in early April, was confiscated by U.S. Coast Guard investigators on Thursday.

CBS News recorded the moment when the dinghy was taken by a tender boat back to a U.S. Coast Guard cutter. The dinghy could be key in understanding the events that led to the disappearance of Lynette Hooker, a 55-year-old Michigan resident, on the night of April 5.

An investigator from the Coast Guard Investigative Service was observed examining the dinghy with a life jacket in hand. A cadaver dog was also present during the investigation. Brian Hooker had reported his wife missing, explaining she “bounced off” during a night ride from Elbow Cay in the Bahamas due to rough waters. He claimed she was swept away in the current, carrying the boat’s keys, which left him to paddle back to shore alone.

Following the incident, Bahamian authorities initially detained Brian Hooker for five days for questioning before releasing him. He returned to the United States and maintains his innocence, as he has not been charged with any crime. Lynette Hooker remains missing.

This investigation was reignited by GPS data from a seized electronic device, which conflicts with Brian Hooker’s account of the night. Last month, the U.S. Coast Guard also seized the couple’s sailboat, which they used for their travels around the Bahamas.