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A daughter’s plea: Search turns to recovery in American woman missing in Bahamas waters

The daughter of missing American woman Lynette Hooker wants answers to her mother’s disappearance.

Karli Aylesworth is caught in a state of uncertainty, seeking clarity and truth.

“I have been privy to very little information,” she said in a statement. “My sole concern is to find out what happened to my mother and make sure a full and complete investigation is performed into her disappearance.”

Authorities and volunteer teams in Abaco have now transitioned from an active search and rescue effort to a recovery operation, according to officials on the ground.

It marks a difficult shift for loved ones and for a community that had been hoping for a different outcome.

According to police, Lynette Hooker, 55, of Michigan, was reported missing after an evening boat trip off the coast of Abaco.

She and her husband had left Elbow Cay in a small dinghy, heading back to their yacht, Soulmate, when worsening weather conditions met them at sea.

Investigators say she fell overboard during the journey. Strong currents carried her away, and she was last seen in the water as her husband struggled to regain control of the vessel after it lost power.

He eventually made his way to shore hours later and alerted authorities.

In the days before her disappearance, Lynette and her husband shared glimpses of their life on the water, moments that now feel especially poignant.

They documented their arrival in Abaco, describing the sea as “very entertaining,” and spoke of settling in, writing, “Not going anywhere for a while.”

There were quiet scenes of everyday life, walking along docks, sailing between cays, preparing for dives captured in simple moments.

Not long after, uncertainty followed.

For Aylesworth, and those who love Lynette, the journey is understanding what happened.

Video Shows Hysteria on Boat After Missing US Teen Jumps Overboard

After the search for missing US teen Cameron Robbins was called off, a video emerged showing hysteria aboard the boat as the 18-year-old high school graduate swims bare-backed and in trunks only, drifting in another direction, away from a buoy that sat next to the boat in the dark ocean in the Bahamas.

In shock, one person aboard the boat shouts, “This kid f****** jumped off!”

Another yelled, “Oh my f****** god. Oh, shut the f*** up. Oh, bye…bye… Oh … s***!”

Others hoping to help him, yelled, “Grab the buoy.. grab the buoy,” which sat next to the boat. But he swims away.

Cameron Robbins, 18, is seeing in the dark waters trying to stay afloat after he jumped off the boat after he acted on a dare- many of the seniors on the excursion boat were shocked. One of the kids yelled out, 'This kid f****** jumped off!'

The teens are shown aboard Black Beard Revenge boat minutes before Cameron Robbins jumped overboard.

Robbins partied with other high school graduates onboard a party boat, Black Beard’s Revenge on Wednesday night during a celebration trip to the Bahamas. Reports are that he jumped overboard near Paradise Island, on a daring challenge.  The Royal Bahamas Police Force, Royal Bahamas Defence Force and US Coast Guard using helicopters and boats failed to find him and he remains missing at sea.

A helicopter is seen searching for Cameron Robbins in the Bahamas on Friday. Photo credit: Keith Gomez

On Friday, the Royal Bahamas Defense Force suspended the search and rescue efforts and no longer required further assistance from the US Coast Guard.

With profound sadness, the family released a statement: “The Bahamas government has called off the rescue for Cameron and we are returning to Baton Rouge. We want to thank the Bahamas government, the US Coast Guard, the United Cajun Navy, and Congressman Garrett Graves for everything they have done for us. In this time of grief, we thank our family, friends, and well-wishers for granting us the privacy we need to properly remember our son and mourn his loss.”

Robbins who was a baseball player and graduated three days before the trip, vacationed with 10-15 students from University Laboratory School and several students from high schools in the area of Louisiana. The trip was not sanctioned by his school.

“He’s an athlete, great kid, great smile, great head of hair. Just one of the kids you’re so proud of when they cross the stage,” said the school’s Director Kevin George after Robbins went missing.

Friends have set up a GoFundMe for the family and have since raised over $12,000 as financial support for the family.

His family has since returned to the US.

Watch the video: New video shows panic aboard a boat in the Bahamas moments after Louisiana star baseball player, 18, jumped off on a dare, as Coast Guard calls off search