Michigan woman falls off boat in the Bahamas, police say search for her body continues
Michigan woman missing in the Bahamas after falling off boat
FOX 2 spoke with two people who lived next to Lynette Hooker and her husband Brian for a decade. While they haven’t seen them in a few years, they describe the couple as happy, eager to spend time with one another, and adventurous and are utterly shocked that Lynette could go missing during a routine boat ride.
(FOX 2) - A search for a missing Michigan woman has shifted from rescue to recovery. Fifty-six-year-old Lynette Hooker reportedly fell off a boat in the Bahamas over the weekend.
Big picture view:
FOX 2 spoke with two people who lived next to Lynette Hooker and her husband Brian for a decade. While they haven’t seen them in a few years, they describe the couple as happy, eager to spend time with one another, and adventurous and are utterly shocked that Lynette could go missing during a routine boat ride.
The backstory:
Lynette Hooker and her husband Brian used to live on the west side of the state, but roughly five years ago their neighbors say they sold their home in Kentwood, Michigan, bought a camper, and eventually made their way to the Bahamas. That’s where they were this past Saturday. The Hookers were on an 8-foot dinghy, a motorized boat they were using to get from one port to another.
According to police in the Bahamas, Brian told officers his wife fell overboard with the keys to the boat, causing the engine to shut off. At 4 a.m. the next morning, Brian Hooker paddled the boat to shore and reported her missing.
As for their former neighbors, they find it hard to believe that any foul play could have happened.
"To go live in a trailer and then go live on a boat with very little stuff takes the type of person who is connected with each other, you know. And then five years have gone by, and if there was trouble, it’s not something I would have ever expected," said former neighbor Cindy Saltarski.
"I find it hard to believe she would have had her life jacket off because they always seemed to be safe when they were on the boat," said former neighbor Tony Saltarski. "The way they talked and watched over everything so they didn’t get in trouble. But I know how rough it is out there—we were just on a cruise and the seas were bad."
Dig deeper:
Lynette’s daughter did issue a statement to FOX 2:
"There have been prior issues brought to my attention which may be important for any thorough investigation. If this truly was an accident, I can understand and live with it. However, there needs to be an intensive review of the facts and circumstances of this tragic incident before that can be determined."
On Tuesday, police say the search for her body continues. They are using boats and drones, but so far she remains missing.