The best friend of a British woman missing in the Caribbean says the timeline around her disappearance "does not make sense".
Sarm Heslop, 41, vanished from a boat moored off St John in the US Virgin Islands in the early hours of March 8.
She had returned to the catamaran - named 'Siren Song' - at 10pm the previous evening with boyfriend Ryan Bane, 44.
He woke up to find the ex-air hostess gone at around 2:30am so raised the alarm with police, who told him to also call the coastguard.
But it has been claimed that Mr Bane, a US citizen, did not do as asked until roughly 11.45am - a nine-hour wait.
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Friends have called his actions into question since Ms Heslop, from Southampton, disappeared and are desperate for answers.
It has also emerged today that Mr Bane has hired a lawyer and is now refusing to let police search his £500,000 vessel.
Andrew Baldwin, a friend of Ms Heslop for 25 years, said: "This timeline just does not make sense to us.
"We know that Mr Bane called the local police at 2.30am and was told to call the coastguard.
"The coastguard was reported as saying that it was alerted to her disappearance by Mr Bane at 11.46am on Monday.
"We know they had dinner in a local restaurant and left at 10pm. What we don’t know is what happened in those intervening hours."
Friends have said they are not pointing the finger at Mr Bane, who Ms Heslop met on Tinder, but just want to find her.
The boat was moored in Frank Bay, around 120ft from the shore and in what is believed to have been shallow water.
Mr Baldwin, 41, added: "She would not just disappear, leaving no trace.
"She is savvy and sensible, it’s not like her at all, it just doesn’t add up."
The Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) said today that Mr Bane is not letting officers search his 47ft boat or talking to them.
A force statement said: "Soon after reporting Ms. Heslop missing, Mr Bane acquired the services of an attorney.
"Upon his attorney’s advice, Mr Bane exercised his constitutional right to remain silent and denied officers' requests to search the vessel.
"VIPD continues efforts to locate Ms Heslop, conducting multiple searches daily, speaking to potential witnesses, and combing through hours of surveillance video."
In a statement, Ms Heslop's family said they were "shocked and distraught" by her disappearance.
They said: "We will never give up looking for Sarm and we still have hope of finding her safe."
Mr Bane's lawyers said previously that he is "devastated" Ms Heslop is missing, according to the Daily Mail.
A statement said: "Mr Bane's only hope is that Sarm is found alive and well. His thoughts and prayers are with Sarm and her family during this difficult time.
"Mr. Bane has spent countless hours searching for Sarm and will continue to do so. Ryan is devastated that Sarm is missing."
Ms Heslop is described as a Caucasian female of 5 feet 8 inches and of slim build.
She has a large, coloured tattoo on her left shoulder depicting a seahorse, butterfly and bird.
The Facebook page set up after her disappearance can be found here.
