Coast Guard Seeks Owners of Sailboat Near Missing Michigan Woman's Vessel in Bahamas

WASHINGTON — Federal investigators are seeking public help to identify the owners of a sailboat moored next to Lynette Hooker's vessel the night she disappeared in the Bahamas.

The U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the criminal investigative arm of the Coast Guard, is searching for more information about Hooker's disappearance near Aunt Pat's Bay, close to Elbow Cay and Hope Town, on the night of April 4, 2026.

Sources close to the investigation say CGIS has started a search for the owner of a sailboat that was moored near the sailing vessel Soulmate in Aunt Pat's Bay that day in early April. Lynette Hooker and her husband, Brian Hooker, had been traveling aboard Soulmate before she vanished.

"The owners/occupants of the sailing vessel may have information relevant to the CGIS investigation," a Coast Guard memo obtained by CBS News states.

Investigators have expanded beyond the dinghy route from earlier accounts. They now want potential witnesses who were near Soulmate before or around the time Lynette was reported missing.

Hooker, 55, disappeared after what her husband called a drop from an 8-foot dinghy during a nighttime ride in the Abacos. Brian Hooker told authorities Lynette fell overboard with the boat keys. That shut off the engine and forced him to paddle for hours before reaching shore. Bahamian authorities later detained him and released him without charges. Hooker has denied any wrongdoing.

The new Coast Guard appeal focuses on Aunt Pat's Bay, where the couple's sailboat was anchored earlier on April 4. Investigators ask anyone who knows the pictured sailboat's owner or occupants, or has information about Lynette Hooker's disappearance, to submit tips through the CGIS Tips app. The app is available in the Apple App Store and Google Play. Tips may be submitted anonymously, according to the Coast Guard.

CGIS agents are sworn federal law enforcement officers. They investigate violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice and U.S. law, and work with the Department of Justice. The service's mission is to support and protect Coast Guard personnel, operations, integrity and assets worldwide through independent investigations.

A month after her disappearance, Lynette Hooker remains missing, with no charges filed in connection to the case.