Honestly, it made no sense for them to be there.
Why do you say that? Okay, the timeline is a bit compressed but I think the implication is that you’ve been unconscious for a while after the crash so as long as they weren’t too far away they could have got there in time. Is there some other reason why a mindflayer couldn’t mentally compel nearby individuals to help it? Is your objection that their charm abilities don’t have long enough reach?
I'd rather fight one or both of those Cambions from the ship there. They'd have to be weakened and injured from the crash, of course but it would make more sense.
That’s a good thought! It might be fun if Zhalk and the cambions were there injured if you’d not killed them, or as dead bodies if you had, along with bodies of the hell beasts and imps that I don’t think are there. Unless they somehow get left in Avernus, but not sure why they would.