If you remember your Bible stories, you'll be familiar with the one about a whale swallowing Jonah, who opted out of following God's instructions to go to Nineveh. Jonah was stuck inside the mammal's belly for three days and three nights.
In Chile’s southernmost Patagonia region, a 24-year-old Chilean kayaker has lived to tell the tale after he was swallowed by a giant Humpback whale in the waters of the Strait of Magellan, while out with his father.
The whole ordeal was captured on camera and has since gone viral.
😱GOBBLED UP Horror moment kayaker is swallowed WHOLE by massive humpback whale before being spat out by 50ft, 50,000lb beast #humpbackwhale🐋 pic.twitter.com/6Qu4Ndunlk
— CLUNKY (@IMCLUNKY) February 13, 2025
In the short clip, the whale can be seen alongside Adrian Simancas and seconds later, swallows him.
Just as quickly as it swallowed, the giant mammal spits Simancas out.
His father, Dell, can be heard shouting to him to grab the boat, he swims back to his dad and they move away from the whale.
In the video, Simancas says he thought the whale had swallowed him.
Speaking to CNN, he says he turned around and felt a slimy texture on his face.
He said the thought there was nothing he could do and he was going to die.
Simancas tells the news broadcaster that he felt his life vest pull him up and he was back in the water.
Dell said he had been filming when he heard waves behind him. He said he turned around and could not see his son. Moments later, he was shot back to the surface.
Asked if they would venture out into the waters again, both father and son responded with a resounding "YES!"
seanne.rall@iol.co.za
IOL