Captain Ryan Bane Plans Legal Action Against BBC Over Documentary on Missing Yachtswoman
American boat captain Ryan Bane, the last individual to see British yachtswoman Sarm Heslop alive, is preparing to initiate a defamation lawsuit against the BBC. This legal action stems from a documentary aired last September, which suggested Bane was not providing the complete account of Heslop's mysterious disappearance five years ago.
Allegations and Disputes in the Documentary
The programme, titled Missing in Paradise: Searching for Sarm and presented by journalist Tir Dhondy, revisited the events of March 2021. During that time, Heslop, aged 41, vanished after returning to Bane's £500,000 catamaran, Siren Song, which was anchored off St John in the US Virgin Islands. Bane, who met Heslop on the dating application Tinder and employed her as a chef, has consistently maintained through his legal representatives that he awoke at 2am to find her missing. He posits that she likely fell overboard or drowned while swimming.
However, the documentary incorporated assertions from Heslop's friends, who spearhead the Find Sarm campaign, claiming Bane 'wasn't telling us the full story'. Additionally, it featured interviews with his former spouse, Cori Stevenson, who accused him of a violent assault where she was choked until unconscious. Bane has publicly refuted these allegations on social media, describing them as 'unproven or false'.
Bane's Response and Legal Strategy
A reliable source in the United States disclosed to The Mail on Sunday that Bane feels his reputation has been severely damaged. He intends to pursue legal proceedings against both specific members of the Find Sarm team and the British Broadcasting Corporation. The captain is actively seeking legal representation in the United Kingdom to advance his defamation claim. Beyond contesting the accusations, Bane aims to conclude this chapter and progress with his personal life.
Details of the Night Heslop Vanished
On March 7, 2021, Bane and Heslop reportedly returned to the Siren Song after visiting the 420 to Centre bar on St John. The vessel was moored approximately 100 feet from the shoreline in Cruz Bay. According to Bane's account, they retired to sleep at 10pm, and he was awakened by an anchor alarm at 2am, at which point he discovered Heslop was absent.
Bane rowed to shore to notify local law enforcement about thirty minutes later and was directed to contact the US Coast Guard. Nevertheless, he did not reach out to the Coast Guard until 11.46am the following day. When police arrived to perform a forensic examination of the boat, Bane allegedly declined to permit them access. To date, he has not been formally interrogated by authorities, and the catamaran has never undergone an official search.
Friends' Perspectives and Legal Defence
One of Heslop's acquaintances, identified as Kate, communicated with Bane shortly after the disappearance. She recounted to documentary producers that his responses were hesitant and evasive, often including statements like 'Ugh, I don't know, I was pretty smashed'. Kate expressed growing suspicions that Bane might be concealing information.
In the documentary, Bane's attorney, David Cattie, emphasised that his client was 'devastated' by the incident and described Heslop as the 'love of his life'. The legal dispute underscores the ongoing controversy and unanswered questions surrounding this perplexing case, which continues to captivate public attention years after Heslop went missing.
