Understand its normal behavior to do Marine Pilot transfer with helicopters.
Not an easy task at time for sure given South Africas oceans.
I have landed on ships before a few times albeit they were military and prepared to accept helicopters, even then it can get a bit dicey.
No matter where you are once you get a blade strike its not long until you go from crew to passenger as there aint much left to do.
Sad at the loss of anyone but good to hear that some made it out.
After a blade strike its extremely fast to becoming a falling object. That crew is going to need some serious peer support after what they have been through. There but for fortune............