Coast Guard opens criminal investigation into American woman missing in Bahamas

The U.S. Coast Guard has opened a criminal investigation into the disappearance of an American woman whose husband said she fell from a boat in the Bahamas, an official with the military branch said Wednesday.

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The official declined further comment about the weekend disappearance of Lynette Hooker, 55.

Brian Hooker has said his wife fell in the water during rough seas on a dinghy ride near Elbow Cay on Saturday night.

Local authorities said Tuesday that the effort to find her was a “recovery operation.”

“Despite desperate attempts to reach her, the winds and currents drove us further apart,” Brian Hooker said on Facebook Wednesday. “We continue to search for her and that is my sole focus.”

Lynette Hooker’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, has questioned that account, saying it seemed unlikely she would “just fall” overboard.