Richard, you need to read (buy) the book. It tells all. The pilot was new to the Lightning force but an experienced fighter pilot. He was launched on a dark a dismal night on a TACEVAL exercise to intercept a slow moving Shackleton. He got into a bit of bother and tried to eject, but due to an engineering issue the seat failed to go. He then impacted with the surface of the North Sea at about 180 kts. Punishing but IMO survivable. He unstrapped, opened the canopy and climbed out leaving his life raft in the aircraft. True he should have had life jacket, personal locator beacon and some other survival aids. Who knows what it any injuries he had but I can personally testify that the North Sea at 13 deg C brings on hypothermia within the hour if you are not in a dinghy. Try running a 13 deg C bath and sitting in it without any injuries. There you go, no need to buy the book for that chapter but trust me there are plenty of other chapters that will catch you attention.