Humpback whale briefly swallows kayaker before releasing him unharmed. Terrifying video

A kayaker in Chile was momentarily engulfed by a humpback whale before being safely released.

A Chilean kayaker had a near-death experience when a humpback whale briefly swallowed him before quickly releasing him. The shocking incident, captured on video, has since gone viral.

A kayaker in Chile was briefly engulfed by a humpback whale.(X/@AP)

Kayaker engulfed by giant whale

Last Saturday, Adrián Simancas was kayaking with his father, Dell, in Bahía El Águila near the San Isidro Lighthouse in the Strait of Magellan when a humpback whale surfaced unexpectedly. In a heart-stopping moment, the massive marine mammal engulfed Adrián and his bright yellow kayak for a few seconds before letting him go.

Dell, who was just metres away, recorded the dramatic scene while urging his son to stay calm.

"Stay calm, stay calm," he can be heard saying moments after Adrián was released from the whale’s mouth.

Watch the clip here:

A brush with death

Adrián, still shaken, described his experience to The Associated Press.

"I thought I was dead. I thought it had eaten me, that it had swallowed me," he recalled, detailing the sheer terror of those brief moments. However, it was only after resurfacing that his fear truly set in, worrying about his father’s safety and the icy waters that could have claimed his life.

Despite the horrifying encounter, Dell remained composed, balancing his fatherly concern with the instinct to document the rare event.

"When I came up and started floating, I was scared that something might happen to my father too, that we wouldn’t reach the shore in time, or that I would get hypothermia," Adrián admitted.

Safe return amidst the frigid waters

After regaining his composure, Adrián managed to reach his father’s kayak and was swiftly assisted. Both men made it back to shore unscathed, albeit deeply shaken.

The Strait of Magellan, located about 1,600 miles (3,000 kilometres) south of Santiago, is a popular tourist destination in Chilean Patagonia, attracting adventurers from around the world. However, its frigid waters pose serious challenges to sailors, swimmers, and explorers alike.

Even in the Southern Hemisphere’s summer, temperatures in the region remain harsh, with lows of 4°C (39°F) and highs rarely exceeding 20°C (68°F).

While whale attacks on humans are extraordinarily rare in Chilean waters, increasing whale deaths from cargo ship collisions and frequent strandings have raised concerns among conservationists in recent years.

(With inputs from AP)