Investigators are examining a thermal imaging camera aboard the sailboat from which American woman Lynette Hooker disappeared in Bahamas waters, according to reports from multiple sources.

The sailboat used by Brian and Lynette Hooker before her disappearance was equipped with an infrared camera capable of detecting heat radiation, CBS News has learned. The thermal imaging equipment was valued at approximately $33,000.

Lynette Hooker went missing while the couple was sailing in Bahamas waters. The circumstances of her disappearance remain under investigation by authorities.

Thermal cameras can detect heat signatures from people or objects in water, making them potentially valuable tools in search and rescue operations. The presence of such equipment on the vessel may provide investigators with additional avenues to examine as they work to determine what happened to Lynette Hooker.

Authorities have not released details about whether the thermal camera was operational at the time of the incident or what information, if any, it may have captured. The investigation into Hooker's disappearance continues.