Chilean man swallowed by a sperm whale spits him out

A man in Chile was swallowed by a whale while kayaking off the coast on February 8th, only to be spat out moments later. The dramatic incident was captured on camera by his father who was with him, and thankfully both the father and son came out unharmed.

Adrián Simancas Jaimes, a 24-year-old computer technician from Venezuela, was kayaking with his father in Punta Arenas, Chile, as reported by the Associated Press International. Punta Arenas is a major port city on the west coast of the Strait of Magellan in southern Chile.

During the incident, Simancas felt a sudden impact on his back and fell off the kayak. Initially unaware of what was happening, he realized he had been swallowed by a whale when he was spit out into the water.

His father, who was in another kayak behind him, filmed the moment when the humpback whale engulfed his son. The footage captured his father calmly saying, “Stay calm, stay calm,” as the whale released Simancas back into the sea.

Simancas shared with El País, a Spanish newspaper, “At first, I thought it had swallowed me whole, but I didn’t know what it was. When I resurfaced, I realized it was a whale. I also knew it wasn’t that dangerous unless it started jumping or knocking my father off the boat because then we would have a hard time getting back to shore.”

In an interview with the Associated Press, Simancas expressed his initial belief that he was dead and had been eaten by the whale. He described the “terrifying” moments and the real fear he felt only after resurfacing, worrying about the large whale harming his father or himself perishing in the cold seawater.

Despite being swallowed by the humpback whale, Simancas emerged unscathed and reunited with his father, safely returning to shore.

Humpback whales can grow up to 48 tons but typically do not pose a threat to humans. Their throat openings are narrow, preventing them from fully swallowing humans or similar-sized animals.

The Strait of Magellan is a popular tourist destination in the Chilean region of Patagonia, known for its adventurous activities. The frigid waters present challenges to sailors, swimmers, and explorers attempting various crossings in different ways.

Although it is currently summer in the Southern Hemisphere, the region remains cool, with temperatures rarely exceeding 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius) and dropping to as low as 39 degrees Fahrenheit (3.9 degrees Celsius).

Incidents of individuals being swallowed and then spit out by humpback whales, like this one, have occurred in the past, including a similar event in the US as reported previously by Epoch Times in June 2021.

This event serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of wildlife encounters and the importance of caution in waters where marine animals inhabit.