Shocking moment whale swallows kayaker whole before spitting him back out
13 February 2025, 15:17
This is the moment a kayaker was swallowed whole by a whale before being spat back out.
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Adrian Simancas, 24, is seen in the video kayaking with his dad in the Strait of Magellan in southern Chile before suddenly disappearing.
The huge whale - believed to be a humpback - appears out of nowhere and opens its mouth, gulping down Mr Simancas and his kayak.
Mr Simancas' father, Dell Simancas, can be heard calling out to him multiple times telling him to "relax" and grab a rope.
The incident is understood to have taken place at 3pm local time last Saturday.
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Some online have suggested that the clip, filmed by the father, was digitally altered, with the kayak appearing to disappear entirely in one frame.
But speaking after the incident, the 24-year-old told local media: "I saw something blue and white passing close to my face like on one side and on top but I didn't understand what was happening.
"The next minute I sank. I thought I had been eaten."
Un joven fue tragado por una #ballena en el Estrecho de Magallaneshttps://t.co/WXL80NhbiD pic.twitter.com/McWVbUP0on
— Diario Jornada (@JornadaWeb) February 13, 2025
His father said he began panicking after he turned around and he had vanished.
"He disappeared for about three seconds and then shot out and that's when I calmed down because I saw he was safe," he said.
Despite the scare, both men were able to escape the incident unharmed.
The pair cut their trip short due to the weather but have not been deterred from continuing to explore in the future.
"It was an incredible and terrifying experience at the same time," Dell Simancas said.
