Tourist
Your post shows that clearly have not the faintest idea or clue about SAR, Nmrod or much else I suspect. As Strato Q explains, this was every day (and night) bread-and-butter stuff, and we as a nation are no longer capable of providing this service.
It is indeed extremely good luck for those that took to the life rafts that another merchant ship was close by and intercepted the Mayday and was able to assist. If nothing else, an MPA in the vicinity could have done a very quick surface plot en-route and begun allerting those close by for help.
Good luck to all those involved and to HMG - take a good look at this. The UK has FAILED miserably in it's obligation to SAR coverage. Maybe this might elicit a responce from CAS, who knows!!??
Winco