Quote:
The whole crews survival chances were reduced dramatically by deciding to let the well provisioned lifeboat drift away as they went into this unequipped zodiac. I had a few distractions during the show, there must have been more to this decision?

I was struck by the same thought. That I heard, they didn't offer any explanation of the "why" for his actions.

As portrayed, they had ample warning and the expectation that the situation could deteriorate at any time. In similar circumstances, at the very least, it would be prudent to have a good signal mirror secured on one's person (absent an EPIRB). When you consider a 3-in. x 5-in. mirror, with decent sunlight, will get out at least 20 miles, that's over 1200 sq. miles covered in a 360 degree sweep. More than enough to cover line-of-sight to the horizon, or be seen by reasonably close search aircraft (though, in this instance, no search aircraft were deployed).
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"Things that have never happened before happen all the time." — Scott Sagan, The Limits of Safety