Max Arthur's excellent book "There shall be Wings" contains an interview with F/Sgt David Russell who was in the second lifeboat. They hit a reef and started to sink. They were actually rescued by Jeudwine. It is a very full account of what really happened.
Danny; I have followed this wonderful thread from day 1 and thank you for your amazing recollections. My dad was on 82 Squadron in India and worked on the VV. He is long dead now but he did not have much good to say about them. I recently found his photo album from that period and I'll see if I can reproduce anything of interest.