Newly released bodycam video shows the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service seizing Brian Hooker’s sailboat, the "Soulmate," in May as it was being moved from the Bahamas to the United States. The seizure occurred as part of an ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Lynette Hooker, who vanished in April while on vacation with her husband in the Bahamas.
Lynette Hooker was reported missing on April 4 near Elbow Cay in the Abaco Islands. Her husband, Brian Hooker, stated that she fell from a dinghy at night and was swept away. Her body has not been recovered. The U.S. Coast Guard conducted dive and land searches in the Sea of Abaco in an effort to find her.
The bodycam footage from May 9 shows the boat movers expressing surprise when informed by an officer that the vessel was being seized. "Right now the boat is being seized," an officer tells the crew. The captain of the boat responds, "Oh —-." The movers indicated they were transporting the boat for the owner and were headed to Fernandina Beach, not St. Augustine as initially asked by the officer. Brian Hooker was reportedly not aboard the sailboat at the time of its seizure.
The dinghy Lynette Hooker was last seen on was returned to the U.S. by the Coast Guard and is being examined for clues. Brian Hooker has not been seen or heard from since returning to the U.S. and being questioned by Bahamian authorities, after which he was released. He has not been charged with any crime or accused of wrongdoing. A family friend described Lynette Hooker as a supportive and helpful individual, always willing to assist others.