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FBI, Coast Guard investigating Delray Beach woman missing at sea

Posted at 2:50 PM, May 25, 2017
and last updated 2017-05-26 05:38:14-04

The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed to WPTV Thursday afternoon that the agency is working with the FBI investigating the disappearance of Isabella Hellmann of Delray Beach.

Hellmann was reported missing on May 15 by her husband, Lewis Bennett.

Bennett told authorities he was sleeping below deck on their catamaran when at about 1 a.m. he woke up after the boat struck something. He went above deck and said he was wife was nowhere to be found and the boat was taking on water.

Bennett made it into a life raft and found his emergency beacon. The Coast Guard found him at 4:30 a.m. about 30 miles from Cay Sal, Bahamas.

Bennett told the Coast Guard his wife was wearing a life jacket.

The Coast Guard suspended its search for Isabella on May 18.

Bennett told WPTV Wednesday he was flying to Cuba that night to conduct his own search for his wife.