The missing American who fell overboard while on a boat in the Bahamas was an avid sailor and keen adventurist.
Lynette Hooker, 55, was on an 8-foot dinghy with her husband, Brian, 58, trying to get to their yacht “Soulmate” Saturday night when she fell and was swept out to sea, Bahamian authorities told ABC News.
“Strong currents subsequently carried her away and he lost sight of her,” cops said.
Michigan mom Lynette, one half of “The Sailing Hookers,” was holding the boat key when she went overboard, causing its engine to be shut off. It’s not known if she was wearing a life jacket.
Brian arrived at a Marsha Harbor marina at around 4 a.m. Sunday, told someone his wife went overboard, who then reported it to cops, sparking a search and rescue mission.
Before her disappearance, she and Brian had been documenting their adventures on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.
“We sailed away from BS. A married couple living their best life,” the couple’s TikTok bio said.
Hours before her disappearance, they shared a photograph of a small boat in murky shallow waters moored to a jetty.
“Not going anywhere for a while?!” the post’s caption said.
The couple had recently been caught up in bad weather. One video showed their yacht being hit by the rain – days after being filmed scuba diving and navigating crystal clear waters.
Lynette’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, said she’s been “privy to little information” relating to her mom’s sudden disappearance.
“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,” she said.
“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.”
Karli has since shared a throwback picture on Facebook, captioning it “Mommy.”
Tourists heading to the Bahamas have been warned to exercise increased caution, according to the State Department.
Boaters are urged to always follow local weather forecasts and marine alerts.
A State Department spokesperson said the agency is “working with Bahamian authorities to provide assistance.”
Read the full article here