Teessider Diver and Hollywood Actor Escapes from Water After Nearly Swallowed by a Humpback Whale in Norway

A humpback whale almost swallowed a local scuba diver and a Hollywood actor in the waters off Norway.

The incident occurred during a filming expedition in search for wild orcas.

The large sea creature approached diver Dan Senior and TV actor Noland Gould from the "Modern Family" sitcom series.

Reports said there both individuals were on the spot of a school of fish when it happened.

Norway Humpback Whale Escape

(Photo : Photo by LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images)

The diver was swimming with the "Modern Family" star who played Luke Dunphy when the humpback whale appeared from the depths of the water.

The scuba specialist said the group realized they were caught in a bait ball, a huge ball of fish that killer whales intentionally scared to create a ball-shape formation for an easy snack.

Senior said the water was super dark and they did not notice the humpbacks until the last second, as cited by Teesside Live.

Also Read: Another Humpback Whale 'Unlikely to Survive' After Getting Entangled in Fishing Net

Humpbacks Cannot Swallow Humans

Despite occasional reports about whales scooping humans into their large mouth, such incidents are rare and most of all, the notion of humpback whales swallowing a human whole is physically impossible, according to the National Geographic.

The American magazine referenced a lobster diver named Michael Packard who told the Cape Cod Times in 2021 that he survived after being swallowed by a humpback whale off Cape Cod in Massachusetts, United States.

The diver reportedly recalled he struggled inside the whale's mouth for 30 seconds before it resurfaced and spit him out.

The giant marine animals are known for eating school of fish and other tiny marine organisms.

With this, a humpback's throat is about the size of a human fist and can only stretch to about 15 inches in diameter to allow a bigger meal.

Nicola Hodgins of the UK-based non-profit organization, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, stated that although a humpback can easily fit a human inside its mouth, it is scientifically impossible for the whale to swallow a human once inside.

In Packard's case, he was likely "engulfed as opposed to swallowed" before the humpback whale realized its mistake and immediately spat the diver out, Hodgins added.

Related Incidents

While rare, there have been related incidents in the past when humpback whales accidentally swallow humans in their mouth but eventually releasing them again.

In 2020, two women kayakers were caught in the mouth of a humpback whale while it was feeding on a school of fish or bait ball.

The swallowed kayakers survived and one of the women said the incident happened so fast since the whale came from underneath them, surfing magazine Beach Grit reported.