Man rescued from sea near Edinburgh's Portobello Beach after police incident on Seafield Road
A man entered the water after police arrived and was later taken to hospital for treatment
A 41-year-old man has been taken to hospital after a major rescue operation near Portobello Beach in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
The man reportedly entered the water at Seafield after police were called to a report of vandalism on Seafield Road at around 1.10am.
Coastguard rescue teams from Fisherrow, South Queensferry and North Berwick were quickly dispatched to the scene, as well as an RNLI lifeboat from Kinghorn.
The Scottish Ambulance Service said an ambulance and three special operations response teams were also deployed.
A spokesperson for Kinghorn RNLI lifeboat said crews stood back for around 90 minutes while the police negotiated with the man, before coastguard crews helped him to the beach.
After the rescue, the man was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and was arrested in connection with the incident.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Around 1.10am on Tuesday, 12 May, 2026, we responded to a report of vandalism on Seafield Road, Edinburgh.
"Officers attended and a person entered the water nearby. They were removed by emergency services and taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
"The 41-year-old has been arrested in connection with this incident."
A spokesperson for the HM Coastguard said: “An incident at Seafield Beach, Portobello, reported to HM Coastguard at about 1.15am on 12 May was attended by Fisherrow, South Queensferry and North Berwick Coastguard Rescue Teams and an RNLI lifeboat from Kinghorn.
“Police Scotland and the Scottish Ambulance Service attended.”
A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We received a call at 1.25am to attend an incident at Seafield Beach, Edinburgh.
“An ambulance and three special operations response teams (SORT) were dispatched to the scene and one patient was transported to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.”
A spokesperson for Kinghorn RNLI lifeboat said: “Kinghorn RNLI Lifeboat was tasked at 0119 to a report of a person in the water at Portobello. We arrived on scene and stood off whilst police negotiators spoke to the male. After a period of around 90mins, coastguard entered the water and helped the casualty to the beach.
“Kinghorn Lifeboat was stood down around 3am.”