Brenda Street, the mother of missing British sailor Sarm Heslop, has issued a heartfelt plea to President Donald Trump, urging him to compel her daughter’s American boyfriend to undergo questioning. Sarm disappeared from her partner Ryan Bane’s yacht in the US Virgin Islands four years ago, with Ryan being the last person to see her. Despite this, Ryan has declined to cooperate with authorities, citing his right to remain silent under US law.
Expressing her frustration over the lack of progress in the case, Brenda, aged 69, believes that President Trump could play a pivotal role in pushing for a thorough investigation. She desires for Ryan to be urged to come forward and for his yacht to be subjected to a forensic search. Brenda emphasizes her disappointment in Ryan’s avoidance of formal questioning, stating that he continues with his normal activities while her family’s lives remain on hold. She passionately appeals for Trump to intervene and facilitate the truth to be unveiled.
In response to Brenda’s allegations, Ryan’s legal representative has affirmed that there is no evidence implicating his client in any wrongdoing concerning Sarm’s disappearance. Brenda’s plea to President Trump follows her recent assertions in a BBC documentary where she implicated Ryan in her daughter’s vanishing.
Sarm, a former air hostess aged 41, was residing on Ryan’s £500,000 yacht, Siren Song, anchored off the US Virgin Island of St John when she went missing on March 8, 2021. Ryan claimed to have awakened to find Sarm absent and the boat’s anchor alarm activated, prompting a delayed call to 911 and a failure to promptly involve the US Coast Guard.
Accusations later arose that Ryan obstructed Coast Guard officials attempting to board the yacht. Brenda, who initially had communication with Ryan, alleges that he subsequently cut off contact with her. She asserts that if Ryan had nothing to hide, he would willingly provide a detailed account of the events leading up to Sarm’s disappearance.
Highlighting the circumstances leading to Sarm’s connection with Ryan, Brenda advocates for criminal background checks to be mandatory on all dating platforms. She stresses that such a precaution could have prevented Sarm from engaging with Ryan, who had a prior conviction for assaulting his ex-wife.
Despite the distressing ordeal, Brenda fondly reminisces about her daughter, describing her as a “loving, adventurous” individual who brought joy wherever she went. She reveals her daily thoughts of Sarm, especially around significant dates like her birthday and Christmas, where she commemorates her daughter’s memory with heartfelt gestures.
In a statement to the BBC, Ryan’s lawyer, David Cattie, defended his client’s actions, stating that Ryan promptly notified authorities upon discovering Sarm missing and permitted the US Coast Guard access to his vessel on two occasions. Cattie refuted Brenda’s accusations, asserting that there is no factual basis indicating any wrongdoing on Ryan’s part towards Sarm.
As the search for answers continues, Brenda seeks closure and hopes for the truth surrounding Sarm’s disappearance to come to light.