Adventurer’s Narrow Escape: Swallowed by a Whale in Patagonia

Adrián Simancas, while enjoying packrafting with his father in Chilean Patagonia, found himself unexpectedly engulfed by a humpback whale. Thankfully, he was quickly expelled and emerged unharmed, all recorded in a heart-stopping video by his father.

Paddling through the striking waters of Chile's Patagonia under a gray sky, 23-year-old Adrián Simancas found himself at the center of an incredible marine encounter. While he and his father, Dell Simancas, were packrafting just a few yards apart near the San Isidro Lighthouse, a massive humpback whale suddenly lunged from the depths, seemingly swallowing Adrián whole.

The initial moments of the ordeal were surreal; Adrián described feeling an immense force strike him from behind. "In a second, something dark blue or white enveloped me, and a slimy texture brushed my face," he recalled. He closed his eyes, half-expecting a violent impact, only to find himself submerged in water yet enveloped by something monstrous.

Miraculously, after mere moments of uncertainty, he felt the reassuring tug of his life jacket as he was expelled back to the surface alongside his inflatable craft. Meanwhile, the whale, after its brief but impactful engagement, plummeted into the sea, leaving Adrián and his father in awe.

They had been enjoying a day of adventure in a picturesque and remote wilderness bustling with marine life—an area known for its sea lions, black eagles, and, of course, whales. Adrián's father managed to capture the entire incident on video, showcasing the breathtaking and wild nature of their surroundings.

Fortunately unharmed, Adrián's close encounter serves not only as a personal story of survival but as a vivid reminder of the unpredictable encounters that nature can present—even when engaged in recreational activities like packrafting.