Lynette and Brian Hooker, originally from Michigan, have been married for 25 years and for the last 10 have been living the cruising dream aboard their 50-foot sloop Soulmate. That all came to an end last Saturday night as they were riding in their rigid-inflatable dinghy from Hope Town, Abacos, The Bahamas to their boat that was anchored near Elbow Cay.
In gusty winds and chop made steep by a counter current, the dinghy suddenly bounced hard off a wave and tossed Lynette, 55, overboard. She was not wearing a life jacket.
The emergency shut-off tether attached to the outboard motor was also attached to Lynette, so when she went into the water, the motor stopped and could not be restarted.
Brian, 58, tried to row the dinghy into the wind and chop but found it difficult to make headway. He told authorities that when he last saw of his wife, who is fit and a strong swimmer, she was swimming toward the shore.
Without the engine and unable to row effectively, the dinghy was eventually was blown all the way to March Harbor, the Abacos’ main town. Brian bushwhacked through the coastal undergrowth and found his way to the Marsh Harbour Boat Yard where he was able to make contact with the local police. It was now 4 am or roughly seven hours after Lynette fell overboard.
The Marsh Harbour police contacted the Hope Town Fire and Rescue Team, the March Harbor rescue services and the U.S. Coast Guard. Over the next six hours the teams searched the area between Hope Town and Elbow Cay thoroughly and the Coast Guard helicopter crew searched by air. But, to the surprise of the rescue crews, no trace of Lynette was found.
On Wednesday, Brian Hooker, who regularly posts videos of their cruising life on YouTube, issued a statement on their channel “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.”
In the aftermath of the tragedy, Lynette’s mother, Darlene Hamlett and her daughter from her first marriage,Karli Aylesworth, told CNN that they have had a hard time getting any information from the Bahamian authorities and they both have many questions about the accident and ensuing events. They have hired an attorney and are calling for a complete, official investigation.
While foul play is not suspected, and accidents of this type do occur in dinghies being operated in rough condition, both women indicated that they need to go over all the details and hear Brian’s account directly from him.
