'I felt a slimy texture brush my face': Man describes being swallowed by whale

Adrián Simancas, a 23-year-old kayaker from Venezuela, had an extraordinary encounter while paddling in the Strait of Magellan, located off the coast of Chile. He was out on the water with his father, Dall, when suddenly, he felt a powerful force hit him from behind. In an instant, he found himself inside the mouth of a massive humpback whale. The first sensation that struck him was the slimy texture of the whale's mouth brushing against his face. Adrián was in shock and began to wonder if he was going to be swallowed whole by this enormous creature. He even thought about how he might escape, imagining himself like Pinocchio, who famously survived being swallowed by a whale in a classic tale. Fortunately, the whale soon spat him out, and he was able to surface safely. As he emerged from the water, Adrián felt a mix of fear and relief. He had closed his eyes during the terrifying moment, and when he opened them again, he was greeted by the dark blue water around him. He was unsure of how deep he had gone and worried about holding his breath. After what felt like an eternity, he finally broke through the surface and realized he had not been eaten. His father, Dall, had been watching the whole event unfold from his own kayak. He had heard a loud crash and turned around, only to see Adrián coming up from the sea. Dall was initially worried but felt immense relief when he saw his son was safe. Dall had attached a camera to the back of his kayak to capture the waves, and it recorded the entire incident. When they reviewed the footage later, Adrián was astonished to see just how enormous the whale had been. He had not noticed the whale's size during the encounter, but the video revealed its massive body and fin. Adrián admitted that if he had seen the whale clearly at that moment, it might have frightened him even more. He reflected on the experience as a second chance at life, prompting him to think about how he could appreciate the moment and learn from it. A wildlife expert later explained that humpback whales have narrow throats, about the size of a household pipe, which makes it physically impossible for them to swallow large objects like kayaks. The expert suggested that the whale likely engulfed Adrián by accident while it was feeding on a school of fish. This incident serves as an important reminder for people to be cautious when kayaking or using silent vessels in areas where whales are known to swim.