American woman Lynette Hooker missing in Bahamas: A timeline
Lynette Hooker has been missing since the evening of April 4.
It's been nearly two months since American Lynette Hooker went overboard and disappeared in the Bahamas, prompting a massive search by Bahamian authorities and leaving her daughter desperate for answers.
Here's a timeline of the high-profile case:
April 4
Around 7:30 p.m., Lynette Hooker and her husband, Brian Hooker departed Hope Town in their dinghy, heading to the yacht they lived on, the Soulmate, in Elbow Cay. While in the water they faced bad weather and Lynette Hooker fell off the dinghy, Brian Hooker told authorities.
April 8
Brian Hooker was arrested and questioned by police. His attorney said he was cooperating with authorities.
April 13
After five days in custody, Brian Hooker was released without charges.
April 14
Brian Hooker spoke with ABC News, saying he was staying in the Bahamas until his visa runs out.
"My sole focus is finding Lynette, no matter how likely or unlikely that is," he said. "This search for Lynette has been interrupted by the investigation. I understand that investigations have to take place, but I'm going as soon as I can to start finding Lynette."
"I'm going to keep going. I'm not leaving until I'm told to leave or convinced that it's fruitless," he said.
April 15
One day after Brian Hooker vowed to stay in the Bahamas, his attorney told ABC News that he left the islands, noting that his mother is not well.
April 16
The Royal Bahamas Defence Force said that the search was still active.
Cadaver dogs from the U.S. Coast Guard were brought in to help.
Authorities "conducted extensive shoreline patrols, sea patrols, aerial drone surveillance, and submersible drone operations," police said in a statement. "To date, these efforts have not resulted in the location of the missing individual. However, search and recovery operations continue with full engagement."
April 19
Karli Aylesworth, who is Lynette Hooker's daughter and Brian Hooker's stepdaughter, opened up to ABC News on April 19, saying she doubted Brian Hooker's story from the beginning.
"I don't understand how she drowned or got floated away," Aylesworth said. "It just made me be more, 'Why didn't he do this? Why didn't you do that? Why did that happen?'"
Aylesworth has traveled to the Bahamas to help with the search for her mother and said she met with the Coast Guard and the Bahamian authorities.
"It still feels surreal," Aylesworth said. "... This feels like something you just watch in a movie, but it's my life."
May 5
The U.S. Coast Guard Southeast Division said on social media that it is "asking the public for info about the disappearance of Lynette Hooker." The Coast Guard posted two images of a sailboat moored near the Soulmate and said it is looking for the owner of that vessel. It also urged anyone with information to submit tips.
May 14
The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed in a press release that it had seized the Soulmate approximately 40 nautical miles off the coast of Melbourne, Florida, "as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into the disappearance of Lynette Hooker." It did not say when the operation occurred. Sources told ABC News the boat was believed to have been seized prior to May 11.
May 27
On May 27, the Coast Guard Investigative Service was preparing to ask the Bahamas for permission to send in U.S divers to search new areas, according to multiple U.S. officials.
Forensic evidence recovered from Brian Hooker's electronic devices has led investigators to new areas of interest that were previously not searched, according to U.S. officials.
According to one U.S. official, what Hooker told investigators doesn't match the GPS data that was derived from his electronic devices.
ABC News' Luke Barr contributed to this report.
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