Sarm Heslop: Mum of missing woman 'suffering deeply'

More than 18 months after Sarm Heslop vanished, what happened to the former flight attendant is still unclear

The mother of a woman who vanished from her boyfriend's yacht off the US Virgin Islands says her continued requests to the island's police remain unanswered.

Sarm Heslop, from Southampton, was reported missing by Ryan Bane from his boat off St John on 8 March 2021.

Mrs Street said she was still waiting for a reply to a letter sent to the force on 31 October.

The letter requests the release of CCTV thought to show the couple leaving a bar the night Ms Heslop went missing.

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

The CCTV footage was shown to Ms Heslop's parents by officers from the Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) when they visited the island more than eight months ago.

Mrs Street says it shows what appears to be the couple heading to a dingy dock, but was stopped short by police "before seeing Sarm and Bane board his dingy".

In her letter to the USVIPD Mrs Street said: "I would like all of it, not a shortened version shown on the day I was there on the island.

"This crucial bit of footage displays surroundings, people, actions and behaviours and information that may have been missed."

The BBC has also not received a response to a request for comment sent to VIPD on 31 October - a fresh request was submitted on Tuesday.

Mr Bane, a US citizen, was the last person to see the former flight attendant before she vanished, leaving all her possessions including her phone, wallet and passport on board.

He reported her missing to police at 02:30 (local time) on 8 March but it was a further nine hours before he called the coastguard, shortly after 11:45.

"Myself and all of Sarm's family and friends are suffering deeply, we all have so many unanswered questions," Mrs Street said.

Ms Heslop, who was 41 when she vanished, had been staying and working with Mr Bane, a US citizen, on the catamaran

In April 2021, the island's police force said detectives had been unable to confirm if she was onboard the catamaran as reported by Mr Bane on 7 March.

Mr Bane has previously declined detectives' request for an interview, according to the Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD).

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

Ms Heslop's friends set up a Facebook page to share information about her disappearance and continue to offer a reward of up to $10,000 (£8,328) for information.