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Bryan and Lynette Hooker (Facebook photo)
Bahamas authorities arrested a Michigan man Wednesday in connection with the disappearance four days ago of his wife.
She went missing during a nighttime boat ride, USA Today reports.
Brian Hooker, 59, was arrested in connection with the disappearance of his wife, Lynette Hooker, 55. They are from Onsted in Lenawee County, about 70 miles southwest of Detroit.
A U.S. Coast Guard official tells USA Today that it is conducting a criminal investigation into Hooker’s disappearance.
USA Today reports:
On Saturday, April 4, Brian Hooker reported that his wife fell overboard from an 8-foot, hard-bottomed dinghy that they were taking on a night trip from Hope Town to Elbow Bay, which are both off of Great Abaco Island, according to a news release from the Royal Bahamas Police Department.
Brian Hooker said that his wife had been carrying the boat keys so the engine shut off when she fell. Then "strong currents subsequently carried her away," and he lost sight of her, police said. The agency said that Brian Hooker then paddled the dinghy to shore, which took hours, and that he arrived around 4 a.m. on Sunday, April 5.
Brian Hooker posted on Facebook before his arrest:
I am heartbroken over the recent boat accident in unpredictable seas and high winds that caused my beloved Lynette to fall from our small dinghy near Elbow Cay in the Bahamas. Despite desperate attempts to reach her, the winds and currents drove us further apart. We continue to search for her and that is my sole focus.
Our family is deeply grateful for the Bahamian people’s assistance, especially that of the Hopetown Volunteer Fire & Rescue team, Royal Bahamas police force, Royal Bahamas Defense Force, and the US Coast Guard, who have worked tirelessly in an ongoing effort to bring Lynette back to us. Thank you to everyone for keeping Lynette in your thoughts and for your support of our family during this difficult time.
