Last week, a man on a kayak was swallowed by a humpback whale off the coast of Chile but managed to escape unharmed.
Video footage captured the alarming incident that took place in Bahía El Águila near the San Isidro Lighthouse in the Strait of Magellan, off Chilean Patagonia, as Adrián Simancas and his father, Dell, were kayaking.
Simancas, who was paddling in what seemed to be an inflatable kayak, had a close encounter with the humpback whale as it rolled on the surface with its mouth open, engulfing the kayaker momentarily.
Moments later, the tail broke the surface and the whale dove to deeper depth. Simancas and his yellow kayak then resurfaced after being freed from the clutches of the whale’s jaws.
Video captured the moment a kayaker off the coast of Chile was swallowed briefly by a humpback whale. (Credit: Dell Simancas)
The Strait of Magellan, which is located about 1,600 miles south of Santiago, Chile, is a major tourist attraction in Chilean Patagonia, and is known for adventurous activities.
The frigid waters in the area pose a challenge for those who attempt to cross the strait.
While whale attacks on humans are extremely rare in Chilean waters, whale deaths from collisions with cargo ships have increased in recent years, and strandings have become a recurring issue in the last decade.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
