In the USNI article above this is what the good USMC Generale said:
"...Still, during the press conference he praised the crew’s decision to put the aircraft in the water instead of risk lives onshore. “I’m very proud of our young pilot, I’m very proud of the decision he made not to try to get to Futenma, not to try to get to Kadena, but to try to get to shore and try to land as close to the beach as possible,” he said. "An incredible decision under very very difficult circumstances.”..."