Reflecting on the harrowing experience, Adrián Simancas recounted the initial confusion and fear he felt. “I thought it had already eaten me and swallowed me… Yes, at first I thought I had died,” he told AP.
In a new video shared by CNN, he said: “While in the sea, I suddenly felt a wave strike me from behind. When I turned around, I saw some blue dark colours and white flashing right through my face and felt a slimy texture in my cheek. And then it shut down on me and took me underwater. I knew I was in something’s mouth but didn’t know it was a whale.”He added that he didn’t have enough time to realise he was not in danger. “If the whale had hit me, it would have been a lot more dangerous,” he added.
Adrián Simancas and his father had set out for a kayaking expedition in the frigid waters of the Strait of Magellan, a region known for its rich marine biodiversity.
As they paddled near Bahía El Águila, a massive humpback whale surfaced unexpectedly beneath Adrián’s yellow inflatable kayak. The whale’s sudden emergence caused Adrián to be momentarily enveloped in its mouth before being expelled back into the water.
Dell, who was trailing behind his son, captured the entire episode on camera.
The footage shows the whale breaching and engulfing Adrián, followed by a tense moment before he resurfaces. In the video, Dell can be heard urging his son to remain calm and instructing him to paddle towards the shore. Both father and son managed to return safely without any physical injuries.
Marine biologists have said that such incidents are exceedingly rare. Humpback whales are filter feeders, primarily consuming small fish and krill. Experts say whales are not built to swallow large objects like humans.
Despite the ordeal, the father and son duo plan to continue kayaking but with increased caution.
First Published: Feb 16, 2025 2:26 pm IS
