Man Who Was Swallowed By Whale Previously Survived A Plane Crash

The bloke who managed to find himself inside the mouth of a whale - and live to tell the tale - has cheated death once before, it has emerged, as he also survived a plane crash in Costa Rica.

Michael Packard, a lobster diver from Cape Cod, was almost swallowed up by a humpback whale on Friday 11 June but somehow ended up being spat out and swimming to safety - his incredible story hit headlines across the world.

And it seems as though this isn't the first time Packard has a stroke of luck.

Back in November 2001, Packard was reportedly onboard a flight from San José to Puerto Jimenez that crashed, killing three people.

Packard, 57, managed to survive the crash but sustained 'severe facial injuries and multiple broken long bones in his arms and legs', according to a report in the Cape Cod Times in 2001.

The lobsterman and four other passengers survived two nights in the Costa Rican jungle before they were found by rescuers.

A doctor who treated the survivors told the Associated Press: "They would not have survived another night at that site."

Fast forward almost two decades and Packard has had a second miraculous escape after finding himself 'completely inside' the mouth of a humpback whale.

Speaking about his most recent brush with death to the Cape Cod Times, he said: "All of a sudden, I felt this huge shove and the next thing I knew it was completely black.

"I could sense I was moving, and I could feel the whale squeezing with the muscles in his mouth."

Once the initial shock wore off, Packard thought he was inside the mouth of a shark but after feeling no sharp teeth, he realised he was probably inside a whale - but felt no better off.

He said: "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."

Fortunately, after around 30 seconds the whale decided to spit out Packard.

He told WBZ-TV News: "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."Featured Image Credit: Packard family

Topics: US News

Claire Reid

Claire is a journalist at LADbible who, after dossing around for a few years, went to Liverpool John Moores University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. When not writing words in exchange for money she is usually at home watching serial killer documentaries surrounded by cats. You can contact Claire at [email protected]

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