The desperate mother of a British yachtswoman who vanished without a trace from a catamaran in the US Virgin Islands has made a heart-wrenching plea for information, as the FBI is called in to investigate the mysterious case.
Sarm Heslop, a 41-year-old former flight attendant from Southampton, was living a dream life aboard the luxury catamaran 'Siren Song' with her American boyfriend, Ryan Bane. However, on the night of March 7th, 2021, after a casual evening at a beach bar in St John, she disappeared into thin air.
Her mother, Brenda Street, has now broken her silence, expressing her utter devastation and frustration at the lack of answers. "I just want to know where she is. I want to know what's happened to her. I want to bring her home," she told reporters from her home in the UK.
A Night of Mystery and Unexplained Delays
The events of that fateful night are shrouded in confusion. According to Bane, he and Heslop returned to the 47-foot catamaran around 11 pm. He claims he fell asleep and awoke at 2 am to find Heslop gone. Despite this, he did not report her missing to the local police for over seven hours.
This significant delay has raised serious questions. Local authorities were not alerted until 9:30 am the following morning, a crucial period during which any potential evidence or trail may have gone cold.
The Boyfriend's Silence and a Frustrating Investigation
Adding to the family's anguish is the behaviour of Ryan Bane. He has repeatedly refused to speak to Heslop's family in the UK and, according to reports, has been less than cooperative with the investigation initially.
Bane allegedly denied Virgin Islands police permission to search his boat for 24 hours after reporting her missing. When they finally did board, they found no immediate signs of foul play. However, the lack of transparency has fueled suspicion and heartache for Heslop's loved ones.
The case has now been escalated to the FBI, who are assisting with the investigation. Despite extensive searches by the US Coast Guard, which covered a staggering 1,300 square miles of ocean over six days, no sign of Sarm has ever been found.
A Family's Unending Nightmare
For Brenda Street, the past two years have been an unbearable nightmare. She describes her daughter as a "vivacious, fun-loving, and beautiful soul" who was deeply loved. The absence of concrete answers has made the grieving process impossible.
The family feels let down by the initial response from the local authorities and continues to press for a full and transparent investigation. Their hope is that with the FBI's involvement and renewed media attention, someone with information will finally come forward to provide the closure they so desperately need.
