Sarm Heslop: Friends call for search of Caribbean yacht before sale

Nearly eight months after Sarm Heslop vanished, what happened to the former flight attendant is still not known

Friends of a British woman who vanished from a yacht off the US Virgin Islands have again urged police to search the boat after finding it is up for sale.

Sarm Heslop was reported missing by her boyfriend Ryan Bane from his catamaran moored off St John on 8 March.

"It is understood Ryan Bane listed Siren Song for sale for $229,000, (£167,800) having removed its name," her friends in the UK have said.

A full forensic search of the catamaran has never been carried out.

Sarm Heslop had been staying on the catamaran Siren Song with her boyfriend, Ryan Bane

The group of friends said: "We received multiple messages from local islanders in Grenada saying the boat was there and up for sale.

"Once the boat is sold any evidence which could hold vital clues to Sarm's disappearance will be lost forever and that would be devastating.

"The boat is the last place Sarm was seen so it is critical that, despite all the weeks which have passed, it is searched in order progress the investigation."

Ms Heslop, 41, had been staying and working with Mr Bane, a US citizen, on the catamaran.

The former flight attendant is believed to have gone for dinner in St John with Mr Bane on 7 March

The former flight attendant from Southampton was known to have gone for dinner in St John, which was under a 22:00 local-time Covid curfew, with Mr Bane on 7 March.

He reported her missing to police at 02:30 on 8 March - his call to the coastguard then took a further nine hours.

"The smallest clue could hold the key. This could have been a crime scene; without the search we will never know," her friends said.

"We implore the UK authorities to work hand in hand with the FBI and the Virgin Islands Police Department to search the boat before Mr Bane sells it with its new name", her friends said.

The BBC has contacted Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) and the UK's Foreign & Commonwealth Office for comment.

US citizen Ryan Bane reported Sarm Heslop missing to police at 02:30 on 8 March

Mr Bane, the last person to have seen her, has declined detectives' request for an interview, according to VIPD.

In a previous statement VIPD spokesman Toby Derima said: "The Virgin Islands Police Department continues to investigate the whereabouts of Ms Sarm Heslop.

"We continue to implore Mr Ryan Bane (as he is the last known person to have contact with Sarm) to make contact with the Virgin Islands Police Department in support of our efforts with this ongoing investigation."

In April the force said detectives had been unable to confirm if she was onboard the catamaran as reported by Mr Bane on 7 March.