U.S. woman missing after husband says she fell off boat in Bahamas
An American woman disappeared in the Bahamas on Saturday, after her husband said she fell from their dinghy and was swept out to sea.
Updated on: April 6, 2026 / 8:58 AM EDT / CBS News
Police say they're searching for an American woman who disappeared Saturday in the Bahamas. The woman's husband told authorities that his wife went missing after falling from their boat and being swept out to sea.
The man reported that he and his wife, who are both U.S. nationals, left Hope Town for Elbow Cay on the Bahamian island of Abaco at around 7:30 p.m. local time on Saturday, according to the Royal Bahamas Police Force . They had set sail aboard an 8-foot hard-bottom dinghy, police said.
The man told police that his wife fell overboard with the keys to the boat, causing its engine to turn off. He said that strong currents carried her out to sea, and he lost sight of her, according to police. The man paddled the dinghy to shore, arriving hours later at the Marsh Harbor Boat Yard at 4 a.m. Sunday morning.
Police said the man told someone his wife was missing once he made it to the boat yard, and that person informed authorities. Officers proceeded to search the surrounding area, with help from members of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and Hope Town fire officials.
The investigation is ongoing. Police have asked people in the community who may have information relevant to the probe to report what they know to law enforcement, or submit anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers.