A British woman’s best friend who was last seen aboard her boyfriend’s luxury catamaran in the U.S. Virgin Islands two weeks ago says the timetable for her disappearance “makes no sense”.
Sarm Heslop, 41, of Southampton, was last seen on the evening of March 7 on board the 47-foot Siren Song, which was moored in Frank Bay, St. John, officials said.
Her boyfriend Ryan Bane, 44, woke up at 2 am the next day when he was awakened by the anchor alarm on his chartered ship, which was about 30 meters offshore.
It was reported that he alerted the United States Coast Guard about 10 hours after realizing the former commissioner’s disappearance.
Bane, an American citizen, has a lawyer and refuses to allow authorities to search his ship.
“This timeline just doesn’t make sense to us,” Andrew Baldwin, 41, a friend of the missing woman for 25 years, told Mirror.
“We know that Mr. Bane called the local police at 2:30 am and was instructed to call the Coast Guard,” he said. “The Coast Guard is said to have been alerted to Mr. Bane’s disappearance at 11:46 am on Monday.
“We know that they had dinner at a local restaurant and left at 10 pm. What we don’t know is what happened in the intervening hours, ”added Baldwin.
A dog walker on the island reportedly heard a scream during Heslop’s disappearance, The Sun reported.
Friends said they are not pointing a finger at Bane, whom Heslop met on Tinder, but just want her to be found.
“It would not simply disappear, leaving no trace. She is experienced and sensible, she is not at all typical of her, she just doesn’t fit, ”Baldwin told Mirror.
Local police said Bane is not speaking to them.
“Right after reporting the disappearance of Mrs. Heslop, Bane hired the services of a lawyer, ”the Virgin Islands Police Department said in a statement, according to the vehicle.
“Following the advice of his lawyer, Mr. Bane exercised his constitutional right to remain silent and denied the officers’ requests to search the vessel.
“VIPD continues its efforts to locate Ms. Heslop, conducting several searches daily, speaking with possible witnesses and combing hours of surveillance video,” he added.
Bane’s lawyer, David Cattie, said his client immediately called 911 when he realized his girlfriend was missing.
“Later that morning, the US Coast Guard came to Mr. Bane’s ship (Siren Song) at Mr. Bane’s request,” Cattie told Fox News. “Several USCG officers boarded the ship and interviewed Mr. Bane on the ship.
“Sir. Bane, at the request of Sarm’s family, handed over his personal belongings to [Virgin Islands Police Department], including your cell phone, iPad, passport, etc. “
Heslop’s family said they were “shocked and upset” by his disappearance, adding, “We will never give up looking for Sarm and we still hope to find her safely.”