Kayaker Survives Rare Encounter with Humpback Whale in Chile
A 24-year-old kayaker, Adrian Simancas, survived a harrowing encounter with a humpback whale off the coast of southern Chile in the Strait of Magellan. The incident, which occurred last weekend near Punta Arenas, was captured on camera by his father, Dell Simancas, who was kayaking nearby. Adrian was briefly swallowed by the whale, which surfaced and scooped him up in its mouth.
“I thought I was dead,” Adrian recounted. “It was like three strange seconds down there.” Despite being fully enclosed in the whale’s mouth, he was released unharmed after a few seconds. His father, who witnessed the event, urged him to stay calm as they both made their way back to shore safely.
The Strait of Magellan, a major tourist attraction in Patagonia, is known for its marine wildlife, though such incidents are rare. Whale attacks on humans are uncommon in Chilean waters, though collisions with ships have been on the rise. Adrian expressed his fear of hypothermia and concern for his father’s safety during the ordeal, but both managed to return to shore without injury.
The dramatic encounter highlights the unpredictable nature of wildlife interactions, even in controlled environments like kayaking tours. Authorities have not commented on whether this incident will lead to changes in safety protocols for marine activities in the area.
Kayaker survives being swallowed by humpback whale in Chile
The 24-year-old was understandably shaken up by his near-death experience - which was all caught on camera.
news.sky.comHuge humpback whale swallows and spits out Chilean kayaker
Luckily, the kayaker, Adrian Simancas came out unscathed despite being fully enclosed inside the whale's mouth.
www.abc.net.au
Video. Humpback whale swallows, then releases, kayaker in Chilean Patagonia
Video. A humpback whale briefly swallowed kayaker Adrián Simancas in the Chilean Patagonia before releasing him unharmed.
www.euronews.com
Watch: Kayaker swallowed whole by humpback whale off Chile coast
A humpback whale swallowed a kayaker whole off the coast of Chile, a video has shown. Adrián Simancas, 24, was kayaking with his father, Dell Simancas
www.independent.co.uk
Watch: ‘I thought I was dead’ - The moment a humpback whale swallows kayaker
Adrián Simancas was kayaking off Chilean Patagonia when a humpback whale surfaced, engulfing Adrián and his kayak.
www.stuff.co.nz