Key facts
- A humpback whale briefly swallowed a kayaker in Chilean Patagonia.
- The incident occurred in the Strait of Magellan and was captured on video.
- The kayaker, Adrián Simancas, was released unharmed.
- His father, Dell Simancas, filmed the event and assisted his son.
- Both returned to shore uninjured despite the cold water temperatures.
A kayaker in Chilean Patagonia experienced a terrifying encounter when a humpback whale briefly swallowed him and his kayak before releasing him unharmed. Adrián Simancas was paddling with his father, Dell, in Bahía El Águila near the San Isidro Lighthouse in the Strait of Magellan when the whale surfaced. The event was captured on video by his father, who can be heard reassuring his son to "stay calm." Simancas described the intense fear during the few seconds he was inside the whale's mouth and his subsequent worry for his father's safety and the risk of hypothermia in the frigid waters. Despite the scare, both kayakers returned to shore uninjured. The Strait of Magellan is a popular tourist destination known for its wildlife, though its cold waters present challenges. While whale attacks are rare, collisions with cargo ships and strandings have become more frequent in the region.