I was 32 miles away, towards Lancaster, when vectored to the scene to provide top-cover. MLB was still enjoying the peace and quiet of her new glider at the time, descending through 3000', as we raced towards the scene at about 190kts. About five miles out, we could see the support vessels motoring towards eachother at speed. At 3 miles, I spotted the helicopter and, we think, a flash of orange life raft! At no point did we see AN. It had sunk without trace within a few minutes. No debris, and no fuel (which was, having confirmed MLB's safety, our new primary duty to ascertain).
It was a joy to behold the speed that everyone in the gas field reacted (or rather, by the time we were overhead - HAD reacted), and the co-ordination between aerial assets, Warton (who were relaying D&D), the field, and the local coastguard station.
My heartfelt congratulations to Kate.
CGD406