British citizen Sarm Heslop still missing.
Friends call for “urgent and thorough” investigation and search of the boat.
Southampton resident, 41 year old Sarm Joan Lillian Heslop went missing from a catamaran moored off the island of St. John in the US Virgin Islands in the early hours of Monday March 8 2021.
She is as a Caucasian female with long dark brown hair, about 5ft 8ins tall and of athletic build. She has a large tattoo on her left shoulder.
Sarm Heslop was first reported missing on Monday by her boyfriend and the owner-operator of the boat – Ryan F Bane.
“Heslop was last seen on March 7 aboard the vessel Siren Song, that was moored off the coast of St. John,” VIPD spokesman Toby Derima said.
Sarm’s best friend in the UK: “We have heard that Sarm’s phone, passport and all belongings were left on the boat, where she was living with her boyfriend. She would not just disappear, leaving no trace. She is savvy and sensible, it’s not like her at all, it just doesn’t make sense.
“We understand that even now the boat has not been searched by the police and that Ryan is due to hand over her phone and belongings to the VIPD on Monday (15 March).
“We are asking for an urgent and thorough investigation into this incident as her family and friends here at home are devastated and just need her disappearance to be made a critical priority.
“We would appeal to Ryan to come forward to give as many details as possible.”
On Sunday 7 March she went for dinner in Frank’s Bay with her boyfriend who told officials they had gone back to the boat to watch Netflix and fell asleep around 10pm. The Coast Guard spokesman said that Sector San Juan received a call from a man at 11:46 a.m. Monday, “who reported that his girlfriend may have fallen from their 47-foot catamaran, the Siren Song, the night before. ”The caller said they had gone to sleep at around 10 p.m. and “at 2 a.m. he woke up and realized that she was not on board.”
Sarm’s friend added “We would like to thank all the local community for their support in searching for Sarm both on water and land. They have been so amazing but we urge them not to give up until she is found or we have more information.”
A Facebook page has been set up https://www.facebook.com/MissingSarmHeslop
The Virgin Islands Police Department is asking for the community’s assistance in locating her and asking for any information about her disappearance. Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Heslop is urged to call 911, the Criminal Investigation Bureau at (340) 774-2211 or Crime Stoppers USVI at (800) 222-TIPS. “You are urged to say something, if you saw something,” said the police force.