Naughty seal with a cheeky grin sparked air and sea search for swimmer in distress

A swimmer reported to be struggling in the waters near Port Nelson, New Zealand, was actually a "naughty seal" with a "cheeky grin." Police and rescue teams in boats were searching for a person reported to be waving for help in the water near the entrance to Port Nelson, the Cut.



Sergeant Wayne Corbett said someone on the Port Hills overlooking the harbour reported seeing the person in the water at 7.30pm on Thursday. Spotters on boats including from Nelson Surf Rescue had failed to find anyone by 8pm and a helicopter was to join the search. Tasman District Communications Manager Barbara Dunn said later it had soon come to light that the swimmer was not human at all.



"A person reported hearing a person yelling for help, but it turned out to be a seal," she said. Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter chief crewman Paul "Ernie" Bryant said after a thorough air and sea search for a swimmer, which started when a person on the Port Hills reported seeing someone waving for help, a seal was located watching the drama unfold.



"We saw a seal later up by the break water sitting on some rocks, just by himself with a cheeky grin on his face," Bryant said. "Retrospectively, it all sounds like nothing and a waste of resources, but if people believe that they've seen somebody and it is somebody and you don't do anything then you're going to lose a life." He said rescue crews did not get frustrated with calls of the like, and treated them all exactly as if a person was missing in the water.