Originally Posted by
172driver
You are correct.
The map you are looking for is here. As you correctly assume, the really, really long ETOPS routes run across stretches of ocean that are largely devoid of shipping.
In any case, having traversed the Southern Ocean in a ship a couple of times, let me tell you, it doesn't matter. Forget about any successful ditching in these waters, ain't gonna happen. This is not the Med....
172driver, it's certainly pretty lonely down there. The southern oceans are certainly unpleasant, but the Med ain't so friendly either when it wants to get rough.
Judging by the number of times an aircraft operated properly under today's ETOPS regulations has ditched in the ogin due to engine failure (
AFAIK, none), one would certainly say that the regulations work as intended.