Missing Sarm Heslop's boyfriend breaks silence with bombshell statement on 'truth'

The boyfriend of missing British yachtswoman Sarm Heslop has broken his silence with an extraordinary five-page statement, denying any involvement in her disappearance.

Instead, American Ryan Bane declared the pair were a “loving, caring couple.” The 49-year-old released the “open letter” more than four years after the former air hostess vanished from his yacht, Siren Song, in the US Virgin Islands in March 2021. In it, he insisted he has been unfairly vilified and forced to live under a “false sense of suspicion.”

“The truth is simple: I wanted to protect myself and followed my attorney’s legal advice to safeguard my rights,” Bane wrote, defending his decision to immediately retain a lawyer, refuse questioning by detectives, and prevent police from forensically searching the vessel. “My decision was framed as suspicious rather than prudent.”

• Jesus 'is coming back today for the Rapture' - here's what it all means for you
• Horror near miss as airliner 'within 10ft' of EasyJet plane about to take off

His remarks follow a BBC documentary, Missing in Paradise: Searching for Sarm, which broadcast newly obtained CCTV footage showing the couple hand-in-hand just hours before the 41-year-old former air steward vanished. The clip, filmed on March 7 2021, captured the pair strolling along a dockside in St John before boarding a dinghy and returning to the yacht.

“The CCTV shows Sarm and me as a loving, caring couple on the night she disappeared. We are seen hand-in-hand, affectionate and relaxed,” Bane said. He added that the footage confirmed details of her clothing that he had previously provided to investigators.

It would be the last known sighting of Heslop alive. According to Bane, he was awoken at 2am by the yacht’s anchor alarm before discovering she was missing. He phoned police at 2.30am but did not alert the US Coast Guard until nine hours later. His lawyer later suggested Heslop may have fallen overboard after hitting her head, or drowned while swimming.

Questions about Bane’s actions in those critical hours have dogged the investigation ever since. In his letter, addressed to investigative journalists, he lashed out at the media for what he described as unfair coverage.

He accused reporters of omitting “crucial facts, presenting misleading narratives and ignoring court records that directly contradict the storyline advanced in the media.” The BBC has defended its programme, saying it had been “rigorously researched and made in line with the highest editorial standards and legal guidance.”

Bane also rejected claims that he made no effort to find Heslop, saying: “That is not true… no one observed signs of a fight, no evidence of an argument, and nothing on my person, such as scratches or marks, that would suggest a struggle.” Instead, he argued the authorities themselves had undermined the investigation.

He pointed to “serious gaps in the official handling of the case that should not be ignored,” highlighting the 911 call and the absence of an initial police report.

“This lack of timely reporting and the loss of crucial evidence created open holes in the official record, holes that have fuelled speculation ever since,” he said. Despite hiring a private investigator, Bane has refused to disclose the findings, saying they “could help” but declining to make them public.

Scrutiny of his past has also resurfaced. Court records confirm Bane was convicted of misdemeanour domestic violence against his ex-wife, Cori Stevenson, in 2011 and served 60 days in jail.

Stevenson, who divorced him three years later, has previously sought protection orders, though applications were denied.
Bane acknowledged the conviction but rejected any link to Heslop’s disappearance. I categorically deny any allegation that I harmed or murdered Sarm,” he said.

Heslop’s family have repeatedly urged Bane to allow police to conduct a full forensic search of Siren Song, a request he has resisted before selling the boat. The case remains unsolved.