Husband Arrested In Bahamas After Us Woman Vanishes From Boat Denies Wrongdoing, Lawyer Says

An American who was arrested successful nan Bahamas aft his woman vanished while nan mates were walking successful a motorboat adjacent nan archipelago denies immoderate wrongdoing, his lawyer said Thursday.

Brian Hooker “categorically and unequivocally denies immoderate wrongdoing" and has been cooperating pinch authorities, lawyer Terrel Butler said successful nan statement. Butler said Hooker could not supply further comments while investigations are continuing.

Authorities said nan husband, a 59-year-old man whom they did not identify, was arrested successful Abaco connected Wednesday and is being questioned. Police and Butler did not supply further details, including whether aliases not he was charged.

A U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson told The Associated Press that they person opened a criminal investigation into nan case.

Officials person said Lynette Hooker, 55, was walking successful an 8-foot motorboat from Hope Town to Elbow Cay connected Saturday night, and that her husband, Brian Hooker, told authorities she fell overboard pinch nan vessel keys, causing nan motor to move off.

Authorities said Brian Hooker past paddled to statement and alerted personification astir her disappearance early Sunday.

“Strong currents subsequently carried her away, and he mislaid show of her,” constabulary said successful a connection issued Saturday.

Lynette Hooker’s mother, Darlene Hamlett, told The Associated Press precocious Wednesday that she was “glad to hear” astir nan arrest, but declined further comment, saying she was seeking much information.

Earlier connected Wednesday, she said she wanted to perceive much from her son-in-law astir really her girl disappeared. The mates had been joined for much than 2 decades and lived successful Onsted, Michigan. Online records gave Brian Hooker’s property arsenic 58, and nan logic for nan discrepancy wasn’t instantly clear.

“I’m going to beryllium willing successful what he says, because I haven’t heard from him successful almost 2 days,” Hamlett said while connected a six-hour thrust backmost location from nan Bahamian Consulate successful Miami, wherever she secured a passport truthful she tin alert to nan Caribbean federation soon.

“Our family grew up connected h2o and truthful Lynette her full life has been adjacent lakes, connected boats, sailing and swimming,” Hamlett said. “It would beryllium a occurrence if (she’s rescued), but I’m still counting connected one.”

Lynette Hooker’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, told NBC News that it is improbable her mother would “just fall” disconnected nan boat, saying she was an knowledgeable sailor. The mates had been sailing for years and documented their voyages connected societal media nether nan moniker, “The Sailing Hookers.”

Aylesworth besides told NBC that nan couple’s narration was volatile, and that they person a “history of not getting along, particularly erstwhile they drink.”

She told WXYZ-TV she doubted her mother survived and was capable to tread h2o that long, but hoped to find her to get closure.

Butler's connection said that Brian Hooker's denial of wrongdoing includes successful peculiar “the allegations precocious made by Karli Aylesworth.”

On Wednesday morning, Brian Hooker wrote connected Facebook that he is “heartbroken complete nan caller vessel mishap successful unpredictable seas and precocious winds that caused my beloved Lynette to autumn from our mini dinghy adjacent Elbow Cay successful nan Bahamas.”

“Despite hopeless attempts to scope her, nan winds and currents drove america further apart,” he wrote. “We proceed to hunt for her and that is my sole focus.”

The U.S. Coast Guard has besides joined nan investigation and interviewed Aylesworth connected Wednesday, according to her attorney, Ron Marienfeld.

“We are pleased to spot it is being investigated, and hopefully much answers will travel to springiness nan family immoderate closure,” Marienfeld said via email.

Bahamian constabulary said hunt operations and investigative efforts stay active.