I concur... the time it takes to check 12 passphrases on iancoleman is likely measured in single digit minutes. The time required to get Python downloaded and installed, btcrecover and the required libs downloaded and installed, a token file generated and then the bruteforce up and running is likely to be substantially longer than that.

Is it a long shot that one of those 12 passphrases is the correct one?... most likely, but you're hardly wasting much time compared to how long a bruteforce run in btcrecover is likely going to take.

A lot will depend on the passphrase that the OPs friend was using... and their method for constructing a passphrase. If they tend to use a "standard" format then it will make the key space likely to be quite small/simple. However, if they tend to use truly random characters including specials... the keyspace and required search time will be a lot larger.

Either way, it's impossible to know without more information... and anything here is just speculation at this point.