Sarm Heslop’s parents hit a roadblock in agonizing search

The parents of a British woman who vanished from her boyfriend’s catamaran almost a month ago in the US Virgin Islands said they “dream of being able to wrap our arms around our darling daughter” — as the man still refuses to let authorities search the vessel.

Sarm Heslop, a British woman who was last seen on a sailboat moored off St. John.
Sarm Heslop, a British woman who was last seen on a sailboat moored off St. John.
via REUTERS

The mysterious saga surrounding the whereabouts of 41-year-old Sarm Heslop continues as authorities search for the former flight attendant, whose boyfriend Ryan Bane, 44, reported her missing 10 hours after he reportedly noticed her missing from his luxury craft Siren Song on March 7.

“He’s still refusing us boarding the boat and we are still working to see what angles we can use,” police spokesman Toby Derima told the Sunday People about Bane.

Ryan Bane, the US boat captain boyfriend of missing British woman Sarm Heslop.
Ryan Bane was reportedly issued a citation — a record of an alleged violation – for refusing to allow law enforcement aboard his vessel.
Oakland County Sheriff/MEGA

Heslop’s parents, Peter and Brenda of Hertfordshire in the UK, said they are desperate to travel to the Caribbean to help in the search but can’t due to coronavirus restrictions, according to the Mirror.

“If we could travel we would. We want to be helping with the search and we dream of being able to wrap our arms round our darling daughter,” they said in a statement.

“It is now over three weeks since Sarm went missing. We know that the Virgin Islands Police Department is doing as much as possible,” they added.

Sarm Heslop was last seen in the Virgin Islands.
Sarm Heslop was last seen in the Virgin Islands.
Instagram

The police spokesman said investigators “would need to have probable cause” to obtain a search warrant.

Asked what would constitute probable cause, Derima said: “That I won’t get into… if we give that out people could take steps to make sure we don’t get it,” according to the report.

He added that “law enforcement knows where he is — still in the US Virgin Islands.”

Last week, it was reported that police were unsure whether Heslop had even been on the luxury vessel before vanishing.

Ryan Bane and his boat, Siren Song.
Ryan Bane;s boat Siren Song
Facebook

“Investigators cannot confirm with certainty, if and when Ms. Heslop boarded the Siren Song on March 7,” the Virgin Islands Police Department said, the BBC reported.

The US Coast Guard has reportedly issued Bane a citation — a record of an alleged violation – for refusing to allow law enforcement aboard his vessel to investigate Heslop’s disappearance.

source: nypost.com