Dateline NBC “Siren Song” December 2 2023 Recap & Preview
Prepare for an intriguing mystery set against the backdrop of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Dateline presents a one-hour special titled “Siren Song,” scheduled to air on Saturday, December 2, at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT, and it’s a story that will captivate your attention.
In this enigmatic tale, a British woman mysteriously disappears from her boyfriend’s luxurious yacht, casting a shadow over what should have been an idyllic vacation. Andrea Canning takes the lead as she delves into the perplexing story of Sarm Heslop’s disappearance.
The stage was set for the perfect getaway. Tourists flocked to the islands, and luxury yachts like the 47-foot catamaran “Siren Song” dotted the coastline. This yacht, captained by a man named Ryan, had a first mate and girlfriend, Sarm Heslop. The couple seemed to be living the dream, anchored just off the shores of St. John.
One warm March evening, Ryan and Sarm went ashore for dinner, leaving their yacht behind. They enjoyed an hour and a half at a local bar before returning to “Siren Song.” But what was meant to be a peaceful night took a nightmarish turn.
Ryan awoke in the middle of the night to the blaring alarm on the boat. His girlfriend, Sarm, was nowhere to be found.
Join Andrea Canning on Saturday, December 2, at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT, for “Siren Song.” This Dateline special is bound to keep you engaged, as it explores the backdrop of the U.S. Virgin Islands and the enigma of Sarm Heslop’s vanishing act. Don’t miss this episode that will leave you pondering the mysteries of paradise.
What Happened to Sarm Heslop?
Sarm Heslop, a British woman born, went missing under mysterious circumstances in March 2021 while staying on a catamaran called the Siren Song, moored off the western coast of Saint John in the United States Virgin Islands.
Heslop, 41 years old at the time, worked as a chef in the luxury yacht industry alongside her boyfriend, Ryan Bane, on the Siren Song, which was available for private charters. Before her career in yachting, she had been a flight attendant for FlyBe and met her boyfriend in 2020 through the dating app Tinder.
On March 7, 2021, Heslop and her boyfriend went to a restaurant on Saint John for dinner. Earlier that day, another couple on a nearby boat observed them, and everything appeared to be calm. They should have returned to the Siren Song by 22:00 due to a COVID-19 curfew on the island.
The catamaran was anchored about 200 feet from the shore, requiring them to use a dinghy to travel between the shore and the boat. Heslop was last seen by her boyfriend, who claimed she was asleep at 22:00 on March 7 but was gone by 02:30 on March 8, 2021. However, he did not report her missing to the coastguard until 11:45, a nine-hour delay that raised questions.
Despite inviting the police onto the boat, it was reported that the vessel was never searched, and the owner was not questioned about Heslop’s disappearance. The boyfriend’s attorney advised against allowing authorities to search the boat, and the boyfriend received civil citations for not permitting the search, lacking registration documentation, and safety equipment violations, which did not result in criminal charges.
Heslop’s phone, wallet, and passport were left behind on the catamaran and handed over to the police. Law enforcement conducted searches along the coastline using drones, divers, and sniffer dogs but found no evidence of her.
Nine days after her disappearance, a local dog walker reported hearing a scream from the direction where the catamaran was anchored, around the time Heslop was said to have gone missing. Two weeks later, the FBI was called in to assist with the investigation.
Heslop’s family and friends were puzzled by her disappearance, as she was described as a level-headed and strong swimmer who wouldn’t have gone for a swim in the early hours of the morning. The family also expressed frustration with the Virgin Islands Police Department for not fully sharing CCTV footage from the restaurant and for not releasing the tape, citing concerns about prejudicing a future court case.
In November 2021, the Siren Song was put up for sale at £167,800 ($229,000), with its name removed. Heslop’s family and friends called for a thorough forensic search of the vessel, which they claimed had never been done.