Is there any information on the lat long of the vessel that at one point, both machines were heading to? So far, all we hear is 150 west of Ireland.
I ask because from the track almost out of Dublin, but certainly leaving the Mayo shore, R116 was pointing directly at Blackrock. Either their heading was for the ship, and Blackrock was coincidentally directly underneath on the outbound, or they were heading to Blackrock.
If that is the ship track, it may mean that at the point where they couldn't raise R118, the crew made the decision to abandon the top cover mission at least for the time being, and go to Blacksod for fuel.
Various scenarios being discussed are then in play.
I do think that what their intention was heading west from Achill, I think it was, is important.
I haven't seen that track map for a while, but it seems that they jogged to starboard just as they came on the rock, before tracking again on the same heading.
Has anybody got R118's track?