Mystery deepens after woman vanishes from yacht in Caribbean

There are growing fears for a woman who went missing from her boyfriend's yacht in the Caribbean.

Sarm Heslop, 41, was staying with her boyfriend on the Siren Song vessel, moored at Frank Bay on the St John Virgin Island, when she disappeared without a trace.

Ms Heslop, from the UK, was last seen on March 7 and reported missing a day later by her boyfriend. It is believed she went missing some time between 10pm when she returned after dinner, and 2am when her partner discovered she was missing.

While there have been suggestions Ms Heslop fell from the catamaran, friends told local media they find that scenario "incredibly difficult" to believe as the boat was in shallow water.

The mystery is also deepening after a witness told a friend they heard a scream the night she vanished.

"We are aware that, at 1am that morning, between the 10pm and 2am timeframe, somebody who was walking their dogs came forward and said they heard a scream," friend Laura Taylor told the Mirror.

"He was walking his dogs and he heard a scream, heard a female scream. He heard it from the bayside.

"It's really important to note how close the boat is. A lot of people have been reporting she's lost at sea. She's not. [The boat] is only [36 metres] from the shore."

Police also speculated she may have fled the island, telling the Telegraph nearby St Thomas was only a 20-minute boat ride away.

Friends dismiss theory about disappearance

Ms Taylor, one of the friends behind a Facebook page to raise awareness of her disappearance, told CBS News she didn't think Ms Heslop just disappeared.

"She's smart, you know, she's clever, she's well travelled, she doesn't just disappear," she said of her friend who moved to the Virgin Islands in January.

A search of the water has so far not returned any clues into Ms Heslop's disappearance and police are yet to search the boat.

"We are asking for an urgent and thorough investigation," friends who set up the Missing Person: Sarm Heslop Facebook page said in a statement.

"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."

The United States Virgin Islands Police told the Telegraph authorities would search the yacht.

"We have not been able to search the boat yet and will do this in due course," police said.

"It is something that will be done eventually."

Ms Heslop is described as Caucasian and has a tattoo on her left shoulder.

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