Infrared camera on sailboat may hold clues in Lynette Hooker investigation

CBS News has learned the sailboat used by Brian and Lynette Hooker in their travels around the Bahamas, before her disappearance, had an infrared camera capable of detecting heat radiation. 

The camera aboard their boat, made by technology company FLIR, can also operate with a cloud memory system, which could hold key evidence in the search for Lynette Hooker. Her husband reported to local authorities on April 5 that she fell overboard during a nighttime dinghy ride.

The camera was aboard their sailboat, the “Soulmate,” when it was seized by the U.S. Coast Guard earlier this month, according to sources familiar with the investigation. 

While it is not known if Brian Hooker used the camera, it is currently being processed as part of the ongoing probe, according to sources.

This type of camera is often used by boaters as a safety system to be able to navigate, particularly at night. The infrared system can be useful to detect if someone falls overboard or to avoid collisions at sea in total darkness.

Fox News as the first to report the existence of the camera.

Daniel Danforth, a friend of the couple, told CBS News that Brian Hooker showed off the device while they were all docked in New Orleans back in March 2023.

The Coast Guard Investigative Services is conducting a probe into Lynette Hooker’s disappearance. 

Brian Hooker has denied any wrongdoing and has not been charged with any crime. He was held for questioning in the Bahamas but ultimately released and returned to the U.S.