Authorities in the Bahamas are searching for a woman from Michigan who went missing after falling overboard during a boat trip on Saturday. The woman, identified by local officials as Lynette Hooker, reportedly fell from an 8ft hard-bottom dinghy while traveling from Hope Town to Elbow Cay.
Her husband, also a U.S. national, told police the incident occurred at approximately 19:30 local time. He reported that his wife fell out of the vessel and was quickly swept away by strong currents. According to the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the woman took the boat's keys with her when she went into the water.
A desperate search in the Abacos
Hope Town Volunteer Fire and Rescue Chief Troy Pritchard described the incident to CBS News, stating, "She apparently bounced out of the boat." The husband told investigators that he lost sight of his wife shortly after she hit the water.
Unable to restart the vessel, the husband paddled the dinghy to shore. He reached the Marsh Harbour Boat Yard at roughly 04:00 Sunday morning. He alerted a person at the boat yard, who subsequently notified local authorities.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force confirmed that a multi-agency search is currently active. The operation includes personnel from the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, local volunteers, and U.S. counterparts.
The incident follows a March 2025 travel advisory issued by the U.S. State Department regarding travel to the Bahamas. The advisory cautioned that boating in the region is not well regulated, noting that "injuries and deaths have occurred" in similar settings.
Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the fall. No further details regarding the search progress have been released.
