RE: But he is not treading water >Each one is only good for 5 minutes before they fully exhaust their air and therefore buoyancy.<
I think you meant "Each one is good only for 5 minutes before he fully exhausts his air and therewith his buoyancy." (You're beginning to sound like las.)
Using others for buoyancy in order to survive has ALWAYS been the preferred survival method of ruling elites. There is limited space in the lifeboat.
But it's not over until the fat lady sinks, so hang on to the fat lady.
>Yes it is an act of desperation because logically his actions have no chance of saving him.<
That's called LIFE. No person's actions have ever given him a chance of saving himself. So from your point of view all medicine (medical intervention) is illogical.