[QUOTE]I felt more than a little kick in the guts knowing I was the last person to speak to him. Maybe I should have just shut up & let him get on with it, but I doubt whether it would have altered the outcome.[/QUOTE]
I remember a time that a VFR pilot up in the Strait's got caught out in IMC conditions..... if it wasn't for the pilot who calmly kept advising said pilot until regaining VFR (quite some time) it very likely would not have had the successful outcome it did.
You have to give it a go, you did, but sadly sometimes it just doesn't work.
As always, just a tragic and sad event.