The boyfriend of missing British woman Sarm Heslop has broken his silence for the first time, describing the harrowing moment he realised she had vanished from their catamaran in the dead of night. Ryan Bane, an American chef, has spoken out three years after the mysterious disappearance in the US Virgin Islands, a case that continues to baffle authorities.
In an emotional interview, Bane recounted the events of March 7, 2021, aboard the Siren Song, moored off the coast of St John. He claims he last saw the 41-year-old former flight attendant from Southampton when they both went to sleep around 10 pm. Bane insists he awoke at 2 am to find Heslop gone, with only her purse and phone left behind.
A Frantic Search and Mounting Questions
Bane described his immediate panic, stating he searched the entire 47-foot vessel before alerting the crew of a nearby catamaran. The US Coast Guard was notified, initiating a massive search operation covering over 1,000 square miles. Despite their efforts, no trace of Sarm was ever found.
The case has been plagued by controversy. Bane faced criticism for waiting over six hours to report Heslop missing. He defends his actions, claiming he initially believed she might have gone ashore for a walk. Furthermore, he revealed that local police never searched the catamaran, a point of contention for Sarm's family, who believe the investigation was mishandled from the start.
A Family's Unending Anguish
Sarm's mother, Brenda Street, has been vocal about her dissatisfaction with the investigation. She has repeatedly called for the case to be reclassified from a 'missing person' to a 'potential crime' and has pleaded with the Foreign Office to apply more pressure on US authorities.
The family's anguish is compounded by the lack of answers. They cling to the hope that someone with information will come forward, desperate for any clue that could explain what happened to Sarm on that fateful night in the Caribbean.
