Check FAA website, Geoff Painter had an ATP which requires instrument ticket. Other pilot, David Jude also had instrument ticket.
But even if you have instrument ticket and are IFR and night current, flying over open water at night is the deepest IMC you will ever fly. Especially tricky is the transition from over land to over water.
Crashes at this critical point in flight happen down here all the time...even with very experienced pilots.