Firstly can I say that I have flown and worked with Brian and he was a good safe pilot.
An autorotation could have been achieved if the sea had been chosen as a landing site, but faced with a loss of power I think most of us would try for the dry option. With hindsight flying feet wet with a rugged coast line was not the best option.
No one has asked why the bearings failed causing the loss of power thus starting the accident.