International
Video: Humpback whale swallows kayaker, spits him out
By Craig Nigrelli (Anchor), Brock Koller (Senior Producer), Shea Taylor (Producer), Kaleb Gillespie (Video Editor)
- A humpback whale in Chile’s Strait of Magellan briefly swallowed a kayaker before spitting the man back up. The incident took place on Sunday, Feb. 9, while 24-year-old Adrián Simancas was kayaking with his father near Bahía El Águila.
- Marine experts believe the whale was feeding on krill or small fish and accidentally scooped up Simancas. Whales do not actively prey on humans.
- Simancas and his father returned to shore safely, despite the cold waters and their initial fears of hypothermia.
Full Story
A kayaker in Chile’s Strait of Magellan experienced a close encounter with a humpback whale when the massive marine mammal briefly swallowed him before quickly releasing him unharmed. The dramatic moment, captured on video, has since gone viral.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn more
Left 30%
Center 49%
Right 21%
Bias Summary
- A humpback whale briefly engulfed kayaker Adrián Simancas and then released him unharmed off the coast of southern Chile.
- The incident occurred near Punta Arenas, where Adrián was kayaking with his father, Dell Simancas, who filmed the moment.
- Adrián described feeling terrified during the ordeal, saying, "I thought I was done for, that I was dead."
- Both Adrián and his father safely returned to shore without injury after the dramatic encounter.
- A kayaker, Adrián Simancas, was swallowed by a humpback whale for a few seconds while kayaking with his father, Dell, in the Strait of Magellan near Chile, but was released unharmed.
- Simancas thought he was going to die when he was engulfed by the whale, but his father remained calm and filmed the incident while telling his son to stay calm.
- While whale attacks on humans are rare in Chilean waters, collisions between whales and cargo ships have increased, and whale strandings have become a recurring issue in the last decade.
- A humpback whale briefly swallowed Adrián Simancas while he was kayaking with his father, Dell, off the coast of Chile.
- After a few moments, the whale released Adrián unharmed, and he safely returned to shore with his father.
- Adrián Simancas described the incident, stating, "I thought it had eaten me, that it had swallowed me," and expressed concern for his father's safety after surfacing.
- Despite the terrifying experience, both Adrián and Dell said they would go kayaking again without hesitation.
Bias Comparison
Media outlets on the left
depict the incident using vivid language, framing it as a dramatic encounter, emphasizing the thrill and potential danger of the whale’s action.
Media outlets in the center
employ a straightforward tone, focusing on the father’s calm demeanor and highlighting safety rather than sensationalism.
Media outlets on the right
present the event as a miraculous survival, contrasting the fear experienced with a sense of assurance upon safe return.
Report an issue with this comparison
Bias Distribution
Far
Left
Left
+0
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Untracked Bias
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206 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
206
Leaning Left
34
Center
55
Leaning Right
24
Last Updated
3 weeks ago
Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™
On Feb. 9, Adrián Simancas was kayaking with his father, Dell, near Bahía El Águila by the San Isidro Lighthouse.
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Suddenly, a whale surfaced and engulfed both Simancas and his kayak.
The whale released him within seconds, and he resurfaced in the frigid waters.
How did Simancas react?
Simancas described the experience as terrifying.
“I thought I was dead. I thought it had eaten me, that it had swallowed me,” he said.
His father, just meters away, remained calm and encouraged his son to “stay calm” after he reappeared.
Despite feeling initially relieved, Simancas worried for his father’s safety and fretted about making it to shore in time to avoid hypothermia.
What caused the incident?
Marine experts believe the whale was likely feeding on krill or small fish and accidentally scooped up Simancas in the process. Whales do not actively prey on humans; incidents like this are extremely rare.
The Strait of Magellan, located 1,600 miles south of Santiago, Chile, is a well-known tourist destination for wildlife enthusiasts.
While whale attacks on humans are uncommon, collisions between whales and cargo ships have increased recently.
How dangerous are the waters?
Even during the Southern Hemisphere’s summer, the waters in the region remain cold, with temperatures ranging from 39°F to 68°F. These conditions pose a significant challenge for sailors, swimmers and kayakers.
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What happened after the incident?
After a few moments in the water, Simancas managed to reach his father’s kayak and received assistance. Both he and his father made it back to shore unharmed.
The incident highlighted both nature’s unpredictability and the resilience of those who venture into the wild waters of Chilean Patagonia.
A WHALE OF A TALE THAT WOULD BE PRETTY UNBELIEVABLE… IF IT WEREN’T CAUGHT ON CAMERA.
A KAYAKER GOT A BRIEF GLIMPSE OF WHAT JONAH MUST HAVE EXPERIENCED, WHEN the man was BRIEFLY GOBBLED UP BY A HUMPBACK WHALE, WHILE ON THE WATER AROUND CHILE’S SOUTHERNMOST PATAGONIA REGION.
24-YEAR-OLD ADRIAN SIMANCAS WAS PADDLING THROUGH THE ICY WATERS OF THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN WITH HIS DAD LAST SATURDAY, WHEN THE WHALE SUDDENLY SURFACED AND you could say – GULPED HIM DOWN — THEN QUICKLY SPAT HIM BACK OUT.
WILDLIFE EXPERTS SAY THE WHALE WAS NOT TRYING TO EAT SIMANCAS — IT WAS LIKELY LOOKING TO SNACK ON KRILL OR FISH AND SIMANCAS WAS JUST IN THE WAY.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn more
Left 30%
Center 49%
Right 21%
Bias Summary
- A humpback whale briefly engulfed kayaker Adrián Simancas and then released him unharmed off the coast of southern Chile.
- The incident occurred near Punta Arenas, where Adrián was kayaking with his father, Dell Simancas, who filmed the moment.
- Adrián described feeling terrified during the ordeal, saying, "I thought I was done for, that I was dead."
- Both Adrián and his father safely returned to shore without injury after the dramatic encounter.
- A kayaker, Adrián Simancas, was swallowed by a humpback whale for a few seconds while kayaking with his father, Dell, in the Strait of Magellan near Chile, but was released unharmed.
- Simancas thought he was going to die when he was engulfed by the whale, but his father remained calm and filmed the incident while telling his son to stay calm.
- While whale attacks on humans are rare in Chilean waters, collisions between whales and cargo ships have increased, and whale strandings have become a recurring issue in the last decade.
- A humpback whale briefly swallowed Adrián Simancas while he was kayaking with his father, Dell, off the coast of Chile.
- After a few moments, the whale released Adrián unharmed, and he safely returned to shore with his father.
- Adrián Simancas described the incident, stating, "I thought it had eaten me, that it had swallowed me," and expressed concern for his father's safety after surfacing.
- Despite the terrifying experience, both Adrián and Dell said they would go kayaking again without hesitation.
Bias Comparison
Media outlets on the left
depict the incident using vivid language, framing it as a dramatic encounter, emphasizing the thrill and potential danger of the whale’s action.
Media outlets in the center
employ a straightforward tone, focusing on the father’s calm demeanor and highlighting safety rather than sensationalism.
Media outlets on the right
present the event as a miraculous survival, contrasting the fear experienced with a sense of assurance upon safe return.
Report an issue with this comparison
Bias Distribution
Far
Left
Left
+0
Click to close
Click to close
Click to close
Click to close
Click to close
Untracked Bias
Click to close
206 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
206
Leaning Left
34
Center
55
Leaning Right
24
Last Updated
3 weeks ago
Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™
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