Adrián Simancas was paddling through the Strait of Magellan off Chile’s Patagonian coast with his dad, when a massive whale suddenly surfaced and engulfed him in its mouth.

The terrifying moment lasted only a few seconds before the whale released him unharmed. His dad, just meters away, caught the entire incident on video, whilst urging Adrián to stay calm.

“I thought it had eaten me and swallowed me. I felt a slimy texture brush my face,” Adrián said after his ordeal, adding that all he could see was dark blue and white.

Luckily, humpback whales cannot physically swallow a human whole. Even though these aquatic giants have huge mouths, their throats are not big enough to swallow something as large as a person.

While rare, similar experiences have been recorded before. Brazilian conservationist Roched Jacobson Seba said, “The whale was likely feeding on a school of fish when it unintentionally scooped up the kayak along with its meal. When whales surface too quickly while feeding, they can accidentally hit or engulf objects in their path.”

He warned that the encounter served as “an important reminder” to avoid using paddleboards, surfboards or other silent vessels in areas where whales usually swim.