Abdelrahman
In a remarkable turn of events, both the kayaker and his father emerged from their harrowing encounter unharmed and made their way back to shore.
PUNTA ARENAS, Chile — A humpback whale unexpectedly engulfed a kayaker off the coast of Chilean Patagonia before promptly releasing him without injury. This dramatic event, captured on film, rapidly gained attention online.
On Saturday, Adrián Simancas was kayaking alongside his father, Dell, in Bahía El Águila, located near the San Isidro Lighthouse in the Strait of Magellan. During their outing, a humpback whale surfaced and enclosed Adrián along with his bright yellow kayak for a brief moment before letting them go.
Just a few meters away, Dell captured the startling moment on video while reassuring his son to remain calm.
“Stay calm, stay calm,” he was heard saying after Adrián was set free from the whale’s grasp.
“I thought I was dead,” Adrián recounted to The Associated Press. “I believed it had swallowed me whole.”
He detailed the sheer panic of those moments and mentioned that true dread hit him only after resurfacing, as he worried about his father’s safety and the possibility of drowning in the chilling waters.
Despite the alarming situation, Dell maintained his focus, filming the event while providing comfort to his son, all while managing his own concerns.
“Once I came up and started floating, I was terrified that something might happen to my dad as well, that we wouldn’t make it back to shore in time, or that I would succumb to hypothermia,” Adrián shared.
After a few tense seconds in the water, Adrián successfully reached his father’s kayak, and they were able to assist each other. Thankfully, both returned to shore without any injuries.
Situated about 1,600 miles (3,000 kilometers) south of Santiago, the capital of Chile, the Strait of Magellan is renowned for its adventurous tourism and exploration opportunities.
Its icy waters present significant challenges for sailors, swimmers, and adventurers looking to navigate the area.
Even in the Southern Hemisphere’s summer, temperatures in this region remain cool, with lows dipping to around 39 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius) and highs seldom reaching above 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius).
While encounters between whales and humans are incredibly rare in Chile, there has been an increase in whale fatalities due to collisions with cargo vessels, and strandings have emerged as a persistent concern over the past decade.
Stay updated with AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america.
