The current doesn't matter so much, but the wind can definitely separate a diver and the boat quickly.
In any regard, I would expect the capt to try to press a button, when "something" of value is lost overboard. Perhaps that was done. It is possible, that there was very little (or no) drama or panic on the surface and it took a while for the buddy to ascend, and in those situations, the capt. would be delayed for a minute or two, before he could be alerted that there is a problem and even with diligent action, the GPS number would not be accurate, without adjusting for the wind. It IS surprising to me that with decent visibility, that a recovery was not attainable.
I have forgotten to turn my air on several times and have watched other people do it many times as well. I even witnessed a near fatality due to that situation. It is a big F'n deal, especially if people have no droppable lead.
I like to check the valve position of other divers before they splash. I've had very few complaints about it (often because I am discrete), and have found valves off several times.