Eyemouth angler rescued after fleeing angry seals

A confrontation with 50 seals and their young pups on Eyemouth beach ended up with a man having to be rescued by the emergency services.
Dunbar Coastguard, Berwick Coastguard rescue team, North Berwick Coastguard rescue team, Eyemouth Coastguard and RNLI Eyemouth Lifeboat and Police Scotland were all involved in rescuing the angler who climbed cliffs to get away from agitated seals.Dunbar Coastguard, Berwick Coastguard rescue team, North Berwick Coastguard rescue team, Eyemouth Coastguard and RNLI Eyemouth Lifeboat and Police Scotland were all involved in rescuing the angler who climbed cliffs to get away from agitated seals.
Dunbar Coastguard, Berwick Coastguard rescue team, North Berwick Coastguard rescue team, Eyemouth Coastguard and RNLI Eyemouth Lifeboat and Police Scotland were all involved in rescuing the angler who climbed cliffs to get away from agitated seals.

Eyemouth RNLI were called out at around 7.40pm last Friday evening, along with Dunbar Coastguard, Berwick Coastguard rescue team, North Berwick Coastguard Rescue Team, Eyemouth Coastguard and Police Scotland after the man climbed cliffs at Green Stane to get away from the agitated seals, and got stuck.

Eyemouth RNLI reported: “The man, who had been angling in the area, was walking along the beach when he came across approximately 50 seals and their young pups, who quickly became agitated and turned aggressive.

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“In order to avoid them he scrambled up the cliff face and became trapped about three quarters of the way up.

“Realising his predicament, the man did exactly the right thing and called the emergency services using his mobile.”

The angler was quickly located and using their rope rescue techniques, rescuers lowered a Coastguard rescue officer 75ft to safely get the casualty off the cliff face and onto the waiting lifeboat below.

The RNLI lifeboat quickly nipped in amid the seals and got the angler and the cliff technician on board, taking them to Eyemouth Harbour.

The man was uninjured and only suffering from minor cold exposure.

Senior coastguard operations officer Jonathan Mustard said: “Anyone who encounters a seal or a colony of seals on the beach or coastline is advised to move away at the first sign of agitation.

“Aggressive seals are not a common occurrence and in this case they may have been protecting or defending their natural habitat and their young. Remember to take a fully charged mobile when walking on the coast and call 999 and ask for the Coastguard if you get into difficulty.”