February 14th 2025.
A kayaker in southern Chile recently shared a terrifying experience of being swallowed by a humpback whale while out on the water with his father. Adrian Simancas, 24, and his father were paddling near Punta Arenas when the massive whale suddenly emerged from the water and engulfed him and his kayak. The shocking incident was captured on camera and shared on social media by Adrian's father, Dell Simancas, who can be heard shouting for his son to relax as he struggles in the water.
The father and son had been carrying inflatable kayaks in their backpacks during a previous trek on land and decided to use them on the water. A few seconds after the whale encounter, a stunned Adrian resurfaced and exclaimed, "I thought he'd swallowed me!" Luckily, he was unharmed and the whale had likely approached out of curiosity or to communicate something, according to Adrian.
Dell, a 49-year-old anaesthetist originally from Venezuela, was initially worried when he couldn't see his son or the kayak after the whale's sudden appearance. But his relief was palpable when he saw Adrian emerge unscathed. The incident took place in the Straits of Magellan, a 350-mile stretch of water known for its freezing temperatures.
The entire encounter was caught on video by Dell, who had been recording their kayaking trip. The footage quickly spread on social media, garnering millions of views and reactions. While the chances of being swallowed by a whale are extremely rare, with experts estimating it to be 1 in 1 trillion, it did happen to a veteran lobster diver in Massachusetts earlier this year.
Despite the frightening experience, Adrian and Dell are already planning their next kayaking trip, but with more precautions in place. Humpback whales, which can grow up to 50 feet in length and weigh 36 tons, typically feed on krill and small fish in polar waters and migrate to warmer waters to breed and give birth. According to the World Wildlife Fund, their global population is estimated to be around 60,000.
Marine experts believe that these types of incidents are most likely accidental, as the humpback whale's vision can be obstructed by the parachute-like shape of its mouth while feeding. Jooke Robbins, director of Humpback Whale Studies at the Centre for Coastal Studies, described the event as a rare occurrence, stating, "It is not something I have heard happening before." Despite the shock and panic, Adrian and his father are grateful to have come out of the encounter unscathed and are looking forward to their next adventure on the water.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
