I am sure the pilot is gutted. Hindsight ??? I am sure he sits there wishing he could turn the clock back and make a different decision but thats the one he made and now has to live with.
There are obvious hazards landing on populated areas. The pilot in a forced landing has control and with hindsight would have been better landing 100 to 200 meters off the shore where bathers are unlikely to be and faced the swim to the shore.
We discussed the Cirrus and the chuted landing where there is no control and I fear one day we will be discussing a similar tradegy under a chute
Pace