Kayaker's Close Encounter with a Humpback Whale in Chile
A kayaker in Chile had a near-death experience after being swallowed by a humpback whale, an incident captured on camera by his father. Adrian Simancas, 24, was kayaking with his father, Dell Simancas, in the Strait of Magellan near Punta Arenas on 5 February when the whale surfaced and engulfed him and his yellow kayak in its mouth.
Adrian described the terrifying moment, saying, “I thought I was dead. I thought it had eaten me, that it had swallowed me.” The whale released him after a few seconds, and his father, who was nearby in another kayak, urged him to stay calm and head for the shore. Adrian later expressed concern about the freezing waters, fearing hypothermia or that his father might also be in danger.
The incident occurred in Bahía El Águila, a popular tourist area in Patagonia. Experts believe the whale likely mistook Adrian and his kayak for prey, as humpback whales feed on small fish and krill. Despite their size, humpback whales cannot physically swallow humans due to their small throats and baleen plates, which filter their food.
Both Adrian and his father escaped unharmed and are reportedly planning their next kayaking adventure, albeit with more caution. The event has been described as extremely rare, with experts estimating the odds of such an occurrence as “1-in-1 trillion.”
This incident follows a similar event in 2021 when a US lobster diver was briefly swallowed by a humpback whale off Provincetown, Massachusetts, but was also spat out unharmed. Humpback whales are not considered dangerous to humans, and interactions are typically harmless due to their solitary nature and feeding habits.
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