A friend of Brian Hooker revealed that the missing American woman’s husband had a sophisticated $33,000 thermal camera on their boat that night, but he didn’t utilize it to search for her.
After departing from Hope Town, Bahamas, around 7:30 p.m. on April 4, Brian told authorities that turbulent waters led to his wife falling from the dinghy.
He made his way to shore, arriving in Marsh Harbor around 4 a.m. on April 5, according to officials.
The couple, heading back to their yacht which they called home after retirement, experienced this distressing incident when Lynette seemingly fell overboard.
Their social media suggests they often sail across the U.S. and the Caribbean.
Daniel Danforth, a friend of the couple, mentioned to Fox News Digital that their boat, Soulmate, was outfitted with a thermal camera that Brian might have employed to look for his wife.
“One of the unique features on their boat is a FLIR system, which stands for forward-looking infrared. It has night vision capabilities and can detect heat signatures,” Danforth explained.
He recounted meeting the Hookers in 2023 in New Orleans. During a conversation, Brian expressed how the thermal camera provided them with a sense of security.
“He mentioned that it could automatically detect temperatures. For instance, on that night, they set it to 6 degrees, which allowed them to see a person walking on the dock and track their movement based on heat signatures,” Danforth added.
Danforth, who lives on a yacht with his wife, stated that the camera system would have been his immediate choice in a rescue situation.
In a text sent to Danforth on April 6, Brian Hooker explained that Lynette “swam toward the yacht” after the incident.
Danforth informed the Coast Guard about the thermal camera early in May, ahead of the Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) seizing the Soulmate boat between May 8 and 10. They have initiated a criminal investigation into Lynette Hooker’s disappearance.
“I told them about it, and they seemed very interested. It was the first time they were aware of the system being onboard. They mentioned applying for a seizure warrant,” Danforth said, adding it might be possible to retrieve data from the camera.
Brian Hooker left the Bahamas for the U.S. to attend to his ailing mother after spending five days in police custody. He hasn’t faced any charges as of now.
His attorney from Michigan previously appealed to the public for understanding in an interview with ABC News.
“I would ask everyone to treat him as you would want to be treated and to refrain from being suspicious. Moreover, keep in mind that everyone processes situations differently.”
FOX News Digital has reached out to Hooker’s lawyer and the Coast Guard for further comments.
