The radio traffic between ship and lifeboat is the most extraordinarily dramatic and tragic thing I have ever heard.
After the helicopter is forced to give up and there is no hope, the skipper casually asks them to try and get his wife and daughters off, though they all know it it is almost certain death for the tiniest chance of life.
The Penlee skipper calmly and casually agrees.
It sounds as though they are arranging a lift to the shops.
I expect the girls were listening and they were sparing them the hopelessness.
My uncle was following it all. His son said that speaking of it was the only thing he had ever known make him cry.