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Dad Records His Son Getting Swallowed By A Whale, Now The Son Shares His Incredible Survival Story
Dad Records His Son Getting Swallowed By A Whale, Now The Son Shares His Incredible Survival Story
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Dad Records His Son Getting Swallowed By A Whale, Now The Son Shares His Incredible Survival Story

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In an incident that has left viewers with their mouths open, a Chilean father captured the heart-stopping moment when a whale nearly swallowed his 24-year-old son whole during a kayaking excursion.

The dramatic video, shared on social media by a local news outlet, shows the massive animal suddenly erupting from the water and engulfing the young man along with his kayak while his father desperately moves to try and save him.

Highlights
  • A father in Chile recorded a killer whale nearly swallowing his son during a kayak trip.
  • The whale later expelled the son uninjured, and the father stayed calm throughout.
  • Simancas felt he had "been eaten" as the whale attacked; his life jacket helped him resurface.
  • The father's quick shift to 'rescue mode' earned praise, making him an unsung hero.

“Stay calm! Stay calm! I’m coming!” The father is heard saying, fearing for the life of his son, Adrián Simancas.

The event took place in the Strait of Magellan, a navigable sea route in Southern Chile that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and whose cold waters regularly attract whales.

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    A Chilean father recorded the terrifying moment in which a whale nearly swallowed his son during a kayaking trip

    Whale with open mouth near the ocean surface, showcasing baleen plates and water splashing around.

    Image credits: Whale and Dolphin Conservation

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    Incredibly, the animal quickly expelled Simancas, leaving him uninjured, if not terrified. His father recorded the entire ordeal as he remained composed while moving his kayak close to his son.

    “Hold on to the boat! It’s ok! Grab the boat; don’t try to board it,” the father said, instructing Simancas to grab both his kayak and his own as he rowed to a nearby coast.

    “I thought it had swallowed me!” the son said, his voice trembling with fear.

    Whale breaching near a small yellow boat on a choppy sea, with distant hills in the background.

    Image credits: chvnoticias

    Now, safe and sound, Adrián Simancas was able to recount what went through his mind as the whale attacked him in an interview with local media.

    “I felt a strong current out of nowhere, and before I could understand what was happening, I felt something large, blue and white, pass right beside my face,” Simancas explained.

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    Father captures son's close encounter with a whale while kayaking in the ocean, son shares survival story.

    Image credits: chvnoticias

    “Immediately afterward, I felt something going above my head and under me, as if I were completely surrounded. Then I sank; everything was dark, and at that point, I thought I had been eaten and that there was nothing more I could do.”

    The father’s calm attitude was essential in preventing his son from panicking after the animal expelled him, allowing both to move to safety

    Son in a red life jacket near a yellow kayak, in a surreal whale encounter on the water.

    Image credits: chvnoticias

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    Simancas was underwater for only two seconds, but to him, it felt like an eternity. As soon as the whale expelled him, his life jacket brought him to the surface, though he was still unable to comprehend what had just happened.

    “I had no idea of exactly what it was that attacked me. I only saw shapes in the water, and I started shouting, trying to warn my dad, who was a few meters away from me,” Simancas recounted.

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    A post shared by CHV Noticias (@chvnoticias)

    Speaking to the news outlet, the young man explained how his father’s calm and composed attitude was what allowed him to regain his senses and get a handle on the situation.

    “When I saw that he was calm and that he was telling me not to be afraid and stay calm, I felt safe,” he said. “That’s the best attitude one can have when faced with an emergency situation.”

    Man shares his incredible survival story, wearing a patterned sweater, standing outdoors.

    Image credits: chvnoticias

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    The father, Dell Simancas, started recording, wishing to capture the beauty of the currents that surrounded them. However, he realized something was wrong when a strong wave hit him on the back of his kayak—the whale was moving towards his son.

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    A post shared by CHV Noticias (@chvnoticias)

    “I felt terrified at first because I couldn’t see my son,” Dell explained. “But as soon as I saw him resurface, and I saw part of the whale, my mind went straight into rescue mode.”

    “Super Dad.” Netizens praised the father’s calm attitude in the middle of such a terrifying situation

    Comment on a social media post about son's incredible survival story involving a whale, with laughter and calm reassurance.

    Comment praising father's attitude related to son's incredible survival story with a whale.

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    Instagram comment praising son's survival story after whale encounter, calling it a heroic feat.

    Comment reacting to son's survival story involving a whale, with crying emojis.

    Comment on Instagram questioning a father's actions as his son faces whale danger.

    Instagram comment on a post about a son's survival story with a whale, mentioning "super dad.

    Instagram comment discussing whale encounters and human safety.

    Comment praising dad's strength and patience from whale survival story.

    A comment expresses disbelief about a son's incredible survival story of being swallowed by a whale.

    Social media comment about going to a lake and recording memories.

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    Abel Musa Miño

    Abel Musa Miño

    Writer, Entertainment News Writer

    Read more »

    Born in Santiago, Chile, with a background in communication and international relations, I bring a global perspective to entertainment reporting at Bored Panda. I cover celebrity news, Hollywood events, true crime, and viral stories that resonate across cultures. My reporting has been featured on Google News, connecting international audiences to the latest in entertainment. For me, journalism is about bridging local stories with global conversations, arming readers with the knowledge necessary to make up their own minds. Research is at the core of my work. I believe that well-sourced, factual storytelling is essential to building trust and driving meaningful engagement.

    Read less »
    Abel Musa Miño

    Abel Musa Miño

    Writer, Entertainment News Writer

    Born in Santiago, Chile, with a background in communication and international relations, I bring a global perspective to entertainment reporting at Bored Panda. I cover celebrity news, Hollywood events, true crime, and viral stories that resonate across cultures. My reporting has been featured on Google News, connecting international audiences to the latest in entertainment. For me, journalism is about bridging local stories with global conversations, arming readers with the knowledge necessary to make up their own minds. Research is at the core of my work. I believe that well-sourced, factual storytelling is essential to building trust and driving meaningful engagement.

    What do you think ?
    Kiki Likes Sweets
    Community Member
    9 months ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Watching the video shows that it is NOT a killer whale. It is clearly a baleen whale of some type. Even the largest orca could not could not fit a human in its mouth. Maybe watch the actual video before just cutting and pasting a click bait title! Edit: now they've removed the pic of an Orca and put one of a humpback whale, LOL!!! Edit 2: they've since then, re edited their text removing all references to killer whales ( except one). Quality BP content!! 😂cool story, though!

    Janissary35680
    Community Member
    Premium
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Baleen whales are filter feeders. They eat krill, plankton, and only the very small fish that fit through the filter. This whale be like "WTF? Ptooey!"

    Load More Replies...
    Cora C
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Human too large. Fish more tasty.

    Joanne Earle
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Same thing happened off Cape Cod a few years back.

    Kiki Likes Sweets
    Community Member
    9 months ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Watching the video shows that it is NOT a killer whale. It is clearly a baleen whale of some type. Even the largest orca could not could not fit a human in its mouth. Maybe watch the actual video before just cutting and pasting a click bait title! Edit: now they've removed the pic of an Orca and put one of a humpback whale, LOL!!! Edit 2: they've since then, re edited their text removing all references to killer whales ( except one). Quality BP content!! 😂cool story, though!

    Janissary35680
    Community Member
    Premium
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Baleen whales are filter feeders. They eat krill, plankton, and only the very small fish that fit through the filter. This whale be like "WTF? Ptooey!"

    Load More Replies...
    Cora C
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Human too large. Fish more tasty.

    Joanne Earle
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Same thing happened off Cape Cod a few years back.

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