A father and son’s kayaking trip in Chile’s Patagonia region turned into a heart-stopping moment. A humpback whale briefly swallowed a 24-year-old kayaker and spit him back out. The shocking encounter was captured on camera.
The video shows the massive whale surfacing from the icy waters of the Strait of Magellan and engulfing Adrian Simancas before spitting him back out. The footage, later verified by CNN, has left viewers around the world in disbelief.
In the video, Adrian’s father, Dell, frantically shouts for his son as he resurfaces. “Grab the boat!” he yells as Adrian, dazed but unharmed, swims toward his dad’s pack raft for safety. The incident lasted only a few seconds. But it felt like an eternity for Adrian. Adrian described the surreal experience of him inside a whale’s mouth.
“I felt a slimy texture on my face. I saw dark blue and white colors closing in on me. Then I was pulled down, and for a moment, I thought I was going to die.” Adrian told CNN en Español.
Despite the panic, his life vest kept him afloat, and within seconds, he was back on the surface, struggling to comprehend what had just happened.
The incident highlights the unpredictable nature of wildlife encounters in open waters. Experts, including marine scientist Vanessa Pirotta, explained that the whale was likely engaging in lunge-feeding—a common behavior where humpbacks open their massive mouths to swallow large amounts of krill or fish.
“This was not an attack,” Pirotta clarified. “The whale wasn’t targeting the kayaker. These animals don’t have the anatomy to swallow something as large as a human.”
The Strait of Magellan, known for its breathtaking landscapes and rich biodiversity, attracts adventure seekers from around the world. Kayaking alongside whales and dolphins is a major draw for tourists, despite the inherent risks.
Humpback whales are not known generally aggressive. However, their sheer size and feeding habits can sometimes lead to close encounters with humans.
Surprisingly, despite the terrifying experience, Adrian and his father have no plans to stop kayaking. When asked if they would return to the water, they both answered without hesitation: “Of course.”
Their resilience, along with the dramatic footage, has sparked fascination and debate online.
