A woman from the United States has gone missing in the Bahamas after reportedly falling overboard while on a dinghy, with strong currents sweeping her out to sea, as stated by local law enforcement.
The incident occurred on Saturday evening around 7:30 p.m. when the woman and her spouse departed from Hope Town in the Abaco Islands, heading towards Elbow Cay, according to the Royal Bahamas Police Force.
According to Assistant Chief Stafford Patterson of the Hope Town Volunteer Fire & Rescue, the woman fell into the water due to adverse weather conditions as they were making their way to their yacht, named “Soulmate.”
The police report indicates that strong currents quickly took her away, and her husband lost sight of her shortly thereafter.
The missing individual has been identified as 55-year-old Lynette Hooker, a resident of Onsted, Michigan. It remains unclear whether she was wearing a life jacket at the time of the incident, as noted by Patterson.
Authorities reported that she was holding the key to the dinghy when she fell overboard, which caused the engine of the 8-foot hard-bottom vessel to shut down.
Following the incident, her husband, 58-year-old Brian Hooker, managed to paddle the dinghy to a marina, reaching there around 4 a.m. on Sunday. He informed a person at the marina about his wife’s situation, who then contacted the police, as stated by the Royal Bahamas Police Force.
A search and rescue operation involving both Bahamian and U.S. authorities, along with local volunteers, is currently underway, according to police officials on Monday. The U.S. Coast Guard has deployed an aircraft to assist in the ongoing search efforts, Patterson confirmed.
A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department indicated on Monday that they are “aware of reports regarding a missing American near Elbow Cay” and are “coordinating with Bahamian authorities to provide necessary assistance.”
The State Department had previously issued warnings regarding the potential dangers associated with boating in the Bahamas. A travel advisory released in March 2025 highlighted that “boating is not well regulated” in the region, leading to incidents of injuries and fatalities.
This report was contributed to by ABC News’ Mariam Khan and Rachel DeLima.
