Daijiworld Media Network – Washington

Washington, May 28: The US Coast Guard will reopen the search for Lynette Hooker, a Michigan woman who has been missing since April after reportedly falling overboard in the Bahamas, according to a U.S. official familiar with the investigation.

The renewed search comes after GPS data from the boat she was travelling on with her husband, Brian Hooker, appeared to contradict his account of events on the night she disappeared.

Officials believe the discrepancy may have led investigators to search in the wrong area of the Sea of Abaco.

The Coast Guard is now seeking permission from Bahamian authorities to conduct fresh dives in the area, the official said. The FBI is also reportedly processing evidence at its facility in Quantico, Virginia.

Lynette Hooker, 55, went missing on April 4 while the couple was travelling between Hope Town and Elbow Cay in an 8-foot dinghy. Brian Hooker told authorities she fell into the sea with the boat’s engine key and that he later paddled to shore, reaching Marsh Harbour Boat Yard around 4 a.m. on April 5.

He was arrested on April 8 in connection with her disappearance but was later released without charge, though authorities continue to consider him a suspect. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Investigators earlier said his account may have misled search efforts in the initial phase of the operation. Hooker has since returned to the United States.

Lynette’s daughter has provided DNA samples to assist the investigation, while authorities continue to examine evidence linked to the case.

Officials also noted that the couple had a history of domestic disputes, including a 2015 incident in Michigan involving mutual assault allegations, though no conclusive findings were made at the time.