The Royal Bahamas Police Force is searching for an American woman who disappeared after reportedly falling overboard from a small boat while vacationing with her husband. The unidentified woman's husband told authorities that she went missing on Saturday evening around 19:30 local time after falling out of an 8ft hard-bottom dinghy and being swept out to sea by strong currents.
The couple was traveling from Hope Town to Elbow Cay on the Bahamian island of Abaco. According to the husband, she accidentally fell overboard, taking the boat's keys with her. In a statement on social media, the Royal Bahamas Police Force confirmed that they are conducting an investigation and coordinating efforts with multiple agencies to locate her.
Hope Town Volunteer Fire and Rescue chief Troy Pritchard remarked, She apparently bounced out of the boat, explaining that strong currents quickly carried her away, making it difficult for her husband to keep sight of her. The husband, who is also a U.S. citizen, managed to paddle the vessel to shore, reaching the Marsh Harbour Boat Yard by 04:00 local time the following day. He reported the incident to a person at the boat yard, who then contacted authorities.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force stated that U.S. counterparts, local volunteers, as well as the Royal Bahamas Defence Force are assisting in the search efforts. Authorities have identified the missing woman as Lynette Hooker from Michigan.
A travel advisory issued by the U.S. State Department in March 2025 warned about potentially deadly boating conditions in the Bahamas, highlighting that boating is not well regulated and mentioning that injuries and fatalities have occurred due to such issues.
