U.S. citizen in Bahamas police custody in connection to woman's disappearance

Bahamian officials accidental they person taken a 59-year-old U.S. national into custody and helium is being questioned successful transportation with the disappearance of Lynette Hooker, the pistillate whose hubby said fell disconnected their vessel implicit the weekend. 

The Royal Bahamas Police Force is not releasing his name, citing the organization's policy. The apprehension comes arsenic the hunt for Lynette Hooker continues adjacent Elbow Cay successful the Abaco Islands of the Bahamas, which the Royal Bahamian Defense Force said has turned into a hunt and betterment operation.

The U.S. Coast Guard has besides launched a transgression probe into the case, a U.S. authoritative told CBS News connected Wednesday. The Coast Guard is taking the pb connected the investigative efforts successful coordination with the U.S. Attorney's Office, according to the official.

The Coast Guard's Criminal Investigative Service handles crimes connected U.S.-flagged vessels successful planetary waters. The probe remains successful its aboriginal stages, the U.S. authoritative said.

The Royal Bahamian Defense Force connected Wednesday said the rescue effort for Hooker has turned into a betterment operation, though the section authorization has not requested the U.S. Coast Guard for assistance.

Lynette Hooker's husband, Brian Hooker, reported that helium and his wife, who are some U.S. nationals, acceptable sail aboard an 8-foot hard-bottom dinghy from Elbow Cay connected Saturday night, according to the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

Brian Hooker told constabulary that his woman fell overboard with the keys to the boat, causing its motor to crook off. He said that beardown currents carried her retired to sea, and helium mislaid show of her, according to police. Brian Hooker paddled the dinghy to shore, arriving hours aboriginal astatine the Marsh Harbor Boat Yard astatine 4 a.m. Sunday morning, constabulary said.

Lynette Hooker was wearing a achromatic bathing suit astatine the time, officials said.

The transgression probe into the incidental comes arsenic Lynette Hooker's daughter, Karli Aylesworth, seeks answers astir what happened connected the dinghy. 

In an interrogation with CBS News, Aylesworth described her parent arsenic an experienced swimmer who has been sailing for much than 10 years. She said she wants authorities to thoroughly analyse the incident, saying she doesn't judge the series of events described by Brian Hooker.

"For one, I don't recognize however she got the key," Aylesworth said. "Brian's ever driving. So helium fundamentally is successful complaint of the key. So the information that my ma had it doesn't marque immoderate sense."

Aylesworth told CBS News that Brian and Lynette Hooker had divided up and gotten backmost unneurotic successful caller years. Brian Hooker declined to reply questions astir the probe erstwhile approached by CBS News connected Tuesday but has since addressed his wife's disappearance successful a societal media statement.

"I americium heartbroken implicit the caller vessel mishap successful unpredictable seas and precocious winds that caused my beloved Lynette to autumn from our tiny dinghy adjacent Elbow Cay successful the Bahamas," helium said Wednesday. "Despite hopeless attempts to scope her, the winds and currents drove america further apart. We proceed to hunt for her and that is my sole focus."

Cristian Benavides contributed to this report.

In:

• Bahamas
• Missing Person