I agree handling a 300 pounder on land is bad in water it multiplies the problems..
Possibly it is bad reporting,but from the article i get the opinion they did nothing.
As i said it is a island,thousand of boats around,to say they did not have a boat is a lame excuse,they could have at least got near to him in a boat and had a chat.
There you go. They could have always appropriated one from a boater.