Chornedsnorkak,
Do you remember the footage of the hi-jacked Ethiopean 767 that was ditched 500 yrds of the coast of the Comoros islands in November '96?
The ocean just seemed to rip the aircraft to pieces, the aircraft had run out of fuel and was gliding, but still.
I don't know how much shallower he could have made that approach even with power.
Personally I hope I never get to a point where all the options are spent and I have to make that kind of decision.