A diver has narrowly escaped death after a giant whale nearly swallowed him while feeding on a school of sardines off the coast of South Africa. Two divers were filming the sardine bait ball when a Bryde's whale suddenly emerged from the water, opening its enormous mouth just inches from one of the men.
Incredible Footage Captures Close Call
In the astonishing video footage, the diver can be seen swimming on his side before the whale appears and lunges with its mouth agape. Despite being moments away from being engulfed, the diver managed to swim away unharmed and remained remarkably calm throughout the ordeal.
Whale Size and Behavior
The Bryde's whale can grow up to 14 meters in length and weigh as much as 50 tons. While these mammals do not typically prey on humans, they feed by rapidly moving to engulf schools of fish. If a human is too close, they risk being accidentally swallowed or struck with significant force. Experts advise that humans maintain a distance of at least 91 meters from whales, and even further if a calf is present.
Similar Incident in Chile
Last year, a kayaker in southern Chile recounted a similar near-death experience. Adrian Simancas was paddling off the coast of Punta Arenas when a humpback whale surged out of the water and swallowed him along with his yellow kayak. Five seconds later, he resurfaced as the whale's dorsal fin emerged again. "I thought he'd swallowed me!" Simancas exclaimed. His father, Dell Simancas, captured the entire episode on camera and could be heard shouting, "Relax! Relax!" Adrian later reflected, "I felt that maybe it was a killer whale... but when I got out I understood that it was probably out of curiosity that the whale had approached me." The incident occurred in the freezing waters of the Straits of Magellan, a vital natural passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
