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Man convinced he was dead after he was swallowed by a humpback whale
While diving for lobsters in 2021, a man thought he had been swallowed by a shark. The true culprit was a colossal Humpback Whale in the mood for a snack.
The ocean is an undeniably frightening place. From the incredible pressures of deep water to the enormous waves that swallow the biggest ships, it should be no surprise that big bodies of water are often listed among the top phobias. But usually, whales are not the subject of such fear.
A truly horrifying experience
Back in 2021, lobster diver Michael Packard was swimming off the coast of Massachusetts. But his leisurely swim soon turned into the stuff of nightmares when he was swallowed whole by a creature of the deep.
The creature in question was a Humpback Whale, which can grow up to 60 feet and weigh a staggering 80,000 pounds. While the gentle giants usually feed on krill and small fish, this one had something slightly meatier on the menu.
“All of a sudden, I felt this huge shove and the next thing I knew it was completely black,” he told the Cape Cod Times in 2021. “I could sense I was moving, and I could feel the whale squeezing with the muscles in his mouth.”
Michael initially believed a shark had gobbled him up, but he felt no teeth in its mouth and knew the truth was something quite different.
He recalled: “I was completely inside; it was completely black. I thought to myself, ‘There’s no way I’m getting out of here. I’m done, I’m dead.’ All I could think of was my boys – they’re 12 and 15 years old.”
The ordeal lasted about 30 seconds
Any amount of time trapped in a Whales mouth would have been hell, but luckily, the lobster catcher was only trapped for half a minute.
Speaking to WBZ-TV, he explained: “Then all of a sudden he went up to the surface and just erupted and started shaking his head.
“I just got thrown in the air and landed in the water. I was free and I just floated there. I couldn’t believe… I’m here to tell it.”
After his triumphant release, Michael was transported to the local hospital in a great deal of pain. But, he was released the same day with no injuries and one hell of a story.
Michael was the subject of a new documentary
Back in October, Michaels unbelievable story was the subject of a documentary film at the New Hampshire Film Festival. While the story itself was covered, the film also looked at the dizzying aftermath as Michael appeared on talk shows across the world.
