They found what was left of the the photographer's drysuit washed up on the shore the next day. From the state of it, and of the camera, they deduced the material had given the seal a bellyache and was eventually hacked back up. This might have been a source of comfort to the photographer if he hadn't proven rather easier to digest than the suit.

Another real life-based picture, this one inspired by the photographer who took many close up pictures of a leopard seal. The seal actually tried to teach him to hunt, and this picture is what might have happened had the seal simply decided he should go face-to-STOMACH with a predator. 83

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/paul-nicklen-seal