Husband of US woman who vanished from boat in Bahamas arrested amid daughter's plea

An American man has been apprehended by Bahamian police on Wednesday (April 8) after his wife vanished while sailing on a boat near the Caribbean nation.

While remaining unnamed by authorities, the 59-year-old man has been questioned in Abaco after being arrested by the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

The move came after the missing woman's daughter called for police to launch a full investigation into the tragedy, citing 'prior issues' which were brought to light.

Information from authorities on the disappearance

Speaking to The Associated Press late on Wednesday, a US Guard spokesperson revealed that a criminal investigation has been opened into the case.

Authorities did not provide details on whether or not the man was officially charged, and it is not clear if he had an attorney.

Officials said that the missing woman, Lynette Hooker, had been traveling in a motorboat from Hope Town to Elbow Cay on Saturday night (April 4).

Following her disappearance, husband Brian Hooker claimed to authorities that she'd fallen overboard with the boat keys, which caused the boat's engine to switch off.

It is then alleged that Brian paddled to shore and flagged the incident to someone on Sunday.

Intervention from Lynette Hooker's daughter

Lynette's daughter Karli Aynesworth called for authorities to launch a full investigation into events leading up to the disappearance of her mother, on Tuesday.

Speaking to Fox News Digital, she said: "There have been prior issues brought to my attention, which may be important for any thorough investigation."

"If this truly was an accident, I can understand and live with it," she claimed, adding: "However, there needs to be an intensive review of the facts and circumstances of this tragic incident before that can be determined."

Karli even claimed that her mother is an experienced sailor and swimmer with over a decade of experience, leaving her confused over the manner of her fall.

She claimed that there's also a "history of him choking her out and threatening to throw her overboard," as she explained that there might be "more to the story."

The daughter also told CBS News that Brian allegedly sent her a questionable voicenote, which said: "Hello, honey, it's Dad. I just got a call from Hope Town Search and Rescue, and they found the flotation device that I threw to Mom when she fell overboard."

Claims from a family source

The Daily Mail report that a source close to the family claimed that Brian only called his stepdaughter Karli, a full day after his wife vanished.

They claimed: "So more than 24 hours later. We don’t know why. We don't know if he was busy looking, we just don’t know.

"Karli has not really been back in contact since because she finds the circumstances a little suspicious."

The family source said that they were "literally living" on a bigger boat for four years, meaning they likely would have known the severity of "the chop" at sea.

Lynette's mother speaks out

Darlene Hamlett told The Associated Press that while she was "glad to hear" that Brian was arrested, she was still seeking more information.

She previously admitted that she wanted to hear more from her son-in-law about Lynette's disappearance.

The couple had been married for over 20 years and lived in Onsted, Michigan.

Speaking of Brian, 58, Darlene pointed out: "I’m going to be interested in what he says, because I haven’t heard from him in almost two days,

"Our family grew up on water and so Lynette her whole life has been near lakes, on boats, sailing and swimming," adding that it would be a miracle if her daughter was found.

Brian breaks his silence

Lynette's husband released a statement on Wednesday, four days after his wife's fall, saying: "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."

The family source claimed that officials did not contact Karli about the incident, and they admitted that she had been in the Bahamas with the pair at the end of February and the beginning of March.

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