Police say boat where Sarm Heslop was last seen will be searched ‘eventually’

Sarm Heslop, from Southampton, went missing in the early hours of March 8

The boat on which a missing woman was last sighted will be searched "eventually", police have said one week on from her disappearance.

Police in the US Virgin Islands were criticised for failing to search the catamaran where Sarm Heslop, a 41-year-old British citizen, was last seen. On Monday they said they would search the boat, but have revealed to The Telegraph that this is yet to happen. 

Friends who have set up the Facebook page FindSarmHeslop once again urged police to undertake a "full and thorough" investigation on Tuesday, saying the boat should be searched "as a priority". They said: "We are shocked and in disbelief that they haven’t already".

Ms Heslop, from Southampton, went missing in the early hours of March 8. Her American boyfriend, Ryan Bane, who owns the 47ft yacht, named Siren Song, said they had gone for dinner on the island of St John on Sunday night before returning to the vessel at 10pm to sleep.

Virgin Islands – Missing sailor locator map

But when Mr Bane woke at 2am, Ms Heslop was nowhere to be found, with her belongings still on board. He raised the alarm with the US Coastguard at 11.46am on Monday. A large search and rescue operation was launched, and volunteer divers have continued to scour the coastline.

Mr Bane’s lawyer told Fox News in a statement that he was "devastated" and had spent "countless hours" searching for Ms Heslop and would "continue to do so".

"His only hope is that Sarm is found alive and well. His thoughts and prayers are with Sarm and her family during this difficult time," the lawyer said.

A spokesman for the USVI police department told the Telegraph: "We have not been able to search the boat yet and will do this in due course. It is something that will be done eventually." He added that police are "keeping their options open" and are looking to see whether Ms Heslop could have "fled" to St Thomas, a 20-minute boat ride away from St John’s.

Police confirmed that a citizen had said they had seen Ms Heslop on the island on Thursday 11, but found no sign of her when they investigated. "Since we have not been able to locate her on St John’s we are looking into the possibility that she could be in St Thomas and the search will start over there soon," they said.