In a shocking encounter off the coast of Chilean Patagonia, 24-year-old kayaker Adrián Simancas was briefly engulfed by a humpback whale while paddling with his father, Dell. The incident, which occurred on February 8, 2025, near the San Isidro Lighthouse in the Strait of Magellan, was captured on video by Dell, who was kayaking nearby. The footage shows the massive whale suddenly surfacing beneath Adrián, swallowing both him and his yellow kayak before quickly expelling them back into the ocean.
Adrián recounted the harrowing experience, saying, “I thought I had been eaten by something… In those three seconds that I was underwater, I thought I was dying.” His father, witnessing the event, feared the worst but was relieved to see Adrián resurface. Fortunately, both men made it back to shore uninjured, though shaken by the rare and terrifying ordeal.
Marine biologists explain that while whale encounters with humans are rare, they do occur, particularly when whales are feeding. Humpback whales, which are filter feeders, consume krill and small fish by lunging forward with their mouths open. Experts suggest that the whale likely mistook the kayak for a school of fish and accidentally scooped it up. “Whales have no intention of eating people,” said Dr. Luis Torres, a marine biologist in Chile. “Their throats are too small to swallow a human, and their instinct is to expel anything that doesn’t belong in their diet.”
Despite the dramatic nature of the event, Adrián’s case is not the first of its kind. In 2021, American diver Michael Packard was momentarily trapped in a humpback whale’s mouth off the coast of Cape Cod before being spit out. Such incidents highlight the unpredictability of marine wildlife encounters and the importance of keeping a safe distance from feeding whales.
This incredible moment serves as both a cautionary tale and a testament to the power of nature. Adrián and his father, both experienced kayakers, expressed gratitude for surviving the once-in-a-lifetime ordeal and encouraged fellow adventurers to remain vigilant while exploring the ocean.
