(WXYZ) — Bahamian police are searching for a 56-year-old Lenawee County woman who went missing at sea after falling overboard from a small boat near Elbow Cay.
Lynette Hooker was on an 8.5-foot dinghy boat with her husband, Brian, heading back to their yacht Saturday evening when they hit bad weather. Brian told police his wife fell into the ocean with the key to the boat, shutting off the engine.
Watch Whitney Burney's video report below:
Brian reported Hooker missing at 4 a.m. Easter Sunday after paddling back to land.
"The story is that she fell off with the key and he threw her a life jacket or something and she was swimming towards shore, but I don’t understand why she was swimming away from the boat with the key," Karli Aylesworth said.
Related Story: Lenawee County woman missing in Bahamas after going overboard
Aylesworth is Hooker's daughter and lives on the west side of the state. She said boating was a lifelong dream for her mother and stepfather, who have been together 25 years and sailing for the last decade. The couple documented their travels on Instagram as recently as April 3.
Watch our extended interview with Karli Aylesworth below:
The search is now in its third day. Police have found some of Hooker's belongings in the water.
"I guess today they did find the flotation device. I don’t know what that means now," Aylesworth said. "The longer it goes, the more doubt I have that they’ll find her. I think that they’ll find her at the bottom of the ocean cause I don’t think you can tread water for that long. But I’m just hoping they find her so I can know what happened and get some closure," Aylesworth said.
Aylesworth says the last few days have been incredibly challenging. She says she's speaking to as many media outlets as possible in hopes of putting pressure on police and other officials to do all they can to locate Hooker.
"I feel pretty numb right now. The shock is starting to wear off, and the sadness hits me in waves right now, but I’m surviving," Aylesworth said. "I hope they don’t stop looking until they find her."
The Royal Bahamas Police Force the statement below on the search on Wednesday morning (April 8):
"Police wish to inform the public that the investigation into the disappearance of a woman at sea remains ongoing. The woman was reported missing while travelling by boat to Elbow Cay on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
Since the incident, extensive search-and-rescue operations have been carried out by the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, Local Fire & Rescue Teams, the Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Association (BASRA), and the United States Coast Guard. These efforts have spanned marine, land, and aerial areas, with additional support from drone technology and professional divers.
Search operations and investigative efforts remain active.
Police are appealing to members of the public who may have information that may assist with this investigation. If you have relevant details, please contact 911, 919, your nearest police station, or the Criminal Investigation Department. Anonymous tips are also welcomed through CRIME STOPPERS at 328-TIPS (8477)."
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