Kayaker swallowed by whale recalls feeling 'slimy texture' in its mouth
Adrián Simancas, 23, was kayaking off Chilean Patagonia when he found himself inside a whale.
Read more at BBC News
Whale swallows kayaker and spits him out — and it's all captured on ...
A humpback whale briefly swallowed a kayaker in Chile, before spitting him out unharmed, an amazing escape that was all captured on video.
Read more at CBS News
Kayaker swallowed by whale - 10 things to know with detail
The incident occurred off the coast of Port San Luis in California on October 26, 2021.
The kayaker, identified as 56-year-old Michael Packard, was out on a lobster diving trip when he was suddenly engulfed by a humpback whale.
Packard estimates that he was inside the whale's mouth for about 30-40 seconds before the whale surfaced and spit him out.
He was wearing a wetsuit at the time, which likely helped protect him from the whale's teeth and allowed him to breathe while inside the whale's mouth.
Packard sustained minor injuries, including bruising and dislocated knee, but was otherwise unharmed.
The incident was likely a case of accidental ingestion by the whale, as humpback whales are filter feeders that primarily consume small fish and plankton.
Packard's diving partner witnessed the entire event and quickly alerted nearby boats to come to their aid.
The rescue team arrived within minutes and brought Packard back to shore, where he was promptly taken to a hospital for evaluation.
The story quickly went viral on social media, with many expressing shock and disbelief at the unusual nature of the incident.
Packard has since recovered from the ordeal and has expressed gratitude for the quick response of his diving partner and the rescue team.