It definitely does.
I agree. Not exactly the same, but I live on the southern shoreline of Lake Michigan, and every year/summer, it claims the lives of many people (mainly swimmers). I've watched coast guard helicopters, drones, boats cover (what seems to be) every foot of the few square miles the person was last seen, and still be unsuccessful at finding the missing person. Unimaginable scale when compared to the Pacific!
Now, imagine the struggle with searching for a lost airplane in those same waters. Approaches impossible