Congratulations to the crew concerned - being a long way from home, calculating fuel burn almost constantly, and with a winch task to undertake in minimal time is not something to make you get out the party hats. I would have to agree with QDM in regard to task justifing the risk though.
Operating on the west coast of Australia we often get calls to ships at max range. As a rule, if it's not life thretaning we get the ship to steam closer before launching.
However, despite extensive consultation through all relevant agencies following a call for assistance, I have still arrived on a deck with the knowledge that I am under the clock, looking for a 'suspected spinal' stretcher casualty, only to find him walking towards me with a sore back!
The joy of SAR...