Packrafter swallowed by whale in Chile

14. February 2025

Packrafter swallowed by whale

Unbelievable, but true! A humpback whale swallows a paddler in the very south of Chile. In this interview, 24-year-old Adrian explains how the story unfolded in the cold waters of Patagonia and what Anfibio has to do with it.

The chances of such an encounter are slim and only the accidental recording on video makes the story credible. News agencies around the world are reporting on it, but Adrian describes his experience dryly in an interview with CNN (video at the bottom):

“I thought I was already eaten by some giant fish, but then, my WATER VEST was pulling me outside … ”

We accept the fact that the whale obviously didn’t like our life jacket and paddler in the end as a #whaleproofgear award.

Interview with Adrián Simancas

Anfibio: Adrian, what was going through your mind at that moment? Did your survival reflexes kick in immediately or did you react in a considered way?

Adrián: A few minutes earlier, I saw a jet of water shoot to the surface, but as it was far away from us, I thought it was a dolphin. When I saw something big approaching quickly, I instinctively closed my eyes and held my breath. I was expecting a blow that would knock me into the water. But when I felt the suction, I realized that I was inside an animal. At first I thought I was going to die. But when that didn’t happen, I realized the low probability of such an encounter and that it wouldn’t be far-fetched to survive. What’s more, I told myself that if I could get out of here, I could experience and shape a better world.

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Anfibio: Do you often have encounters like this?

Adrián: The only time I had ever seen a whale before was on the barge on the way to Tierra del Fuego. That day we had seen a group of dolphins, other paddlers and a pidén bird. We never thought we would encounter a whale, or rather that a whale would choke on me.

Anfibio: How often do you go out on the water and what destinations do you usually choose?”

Adrián: As I live in Punta Arenas [in the very south of Patagonia, editor’s note], it’s difficult to find the right conditions for paddling.

In summer, my father and I train in the Sofia de Natales lagoon or in the Strait of Magellan to prepare for more difficult conditions. We haven’t gone out in winter yet, but we are currently organizing a kind of packraft club to carry out rescue exercises in adverse weather conditions.

The last time I was at sea was at the end of April, when I was invited on a trip to Rio de Janeiro, thanks to this incredible story.

Anfibio: What advice would you give to others? What can people take away from your story?

Adrián: We should always treat all living beings in the places we visit with respect.

Wildlife is generally very peaceful as long as it doesn’t feel threatened. Fortunately, this was not the case for me. I would avoid areas where fishing or even whaling takes place.

Nevertheless, you also need to be prepared for the unexpected and thus reduce the possibility of accidents.

(Watch the original video here).

Anfibio: Thank you Adrian for your insights.

CNN conducted another interview with the father-son team Dell and Adrian Simancas:

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Anfibio Buoy Boy

Whether in the end it was indigestibility or the rising air (chamber) like when drinking sparkling water, we don’t know. But our buoyancy vest was definitely not uninvolved, as Adrian expresses above and can be seen in the picture.

Conclusion:

There is no choice but to wear a flotation device, even if there are no whales around. 🙂