Michael Packard Recounts Terrifying Experience Inside Whale’s Mouth as ‘Whalefall’ Hits Cinemas

Michael Packard, the American lobster diver who survived being trapped inside a humpback whale’s mouth in 2021, has recounted his extraordinary experience while sharing his reaction to the new survival thriller Whalefall.

Packard, 62, spoke about the incident during a preview screening of the film in Times Square, New York, attended by actors Josh Brolin and Austin Abrams.

“I wasn’t swallowed! I was trapped in its mouth,” he clarified, prompting a surprised reaction from Brolin.

The incident occurred on June 11, 2021, while Packard was diving for lobsters off Provincetown, Massachusetts. He was suddenly engulfed by a humpback whale and remained trapped in its mouth for between 30 and 45 seconds before the animal surfaced and expelled him.

Although Whalefall is not directly based on Packard’s experience, the film explores a similar struggle for survival. The movie follows Jay, a scuba diver played by Abrams, who becomes trapped inside a sperm whale while searching for the remains of his late father, portrayed by Brolin.

The film was adapted from Daniel Kraus’s 2023 novel, which he co-wrote for the screen with director Brian Duffield. It explores themes of survival, family relationships, fear and the human struggle against overwhelming forces.

How Packard Survived the Whale Encounter

Packard had already completed one dive on the morning of the incident and handed a bag of live lobsters to his crewmate, Josiah Mayo, aboard his boat, Ja’n J, named after his two sons, Jacob and Josiah.

As he descended for another dive, he suddenly felt a powerful impact. Water rushed around him, and darkness followed.

Initially, Packard thought a shark had attacked him. However, he soon realised he had not been bitten and was instead being crushed inside the mouth of a much larger creature.

He recognised the animal as a humpback whale, which had apparently scooped him up accidentally while feeding.

Humpback whales use their enormous mouths to gather small prey, including krill and plankton, before filtering their food through specialised baleen plates. They do not normally feed on humans.

During the encounter, the force of the impact dislodged Packard’s regulator mouthpiece, which supplies air from his diving tank. He managed to locate it and put it back in place before attempting to push his way out.

However, he quickly realised that escaping by force was impossible.

Packard could feel the whale’s tongue contracting against his body as the animal moved. The experience left him convinced he was facing an unusual and terrifying death.

“It felt like I was inside of a live creature that was trying to eat me,” he recalled.

Although he understood that the whale was unlikely to swallow him into its stomach, Packard feared he could remain trapped until his oxygen supply ran out.

He also thought about his two sons and his mother, worrying about the devastation his death would cause.

His ordeal ended when the whale rose to the surface and expelled him into the water. Mayo and another nearby mariner witnessed the incident, and Mayo helped pull him back aboard the boat.

Overwhelmed by shock and emotion, Packard told his crewmate that he had survived being inside a whale’s mouth.

“I was in the mouth of a f***ing whale! Oh my God! And I survived! I’m alive!” he recalled saying.

Packard Relates to ‘Whalefall’

More than five years after the encounter, Packard attended the New York preview screening of Whalefall, where he discussed the similarities between his experience and the film’s depiction of being trapped inside a massive sea creature.

The movie portrays a far more prolonged and extreme ordeal, with Jay struggling to escape the sperm whale’s stomach before his oxygen runs out.

The character faces numerous dangers, including the effects of stomach acid, pressure changes and hallucinations, as he attempts to survive.

Packard said he could relate to the film’s portrayal of claustrophobia, helplessness and the determination to stay alive, despite the differences between the fictional events and his own experience.

He also recognised the sensation of the whale’s tongue contracting against the trapped diver.

“He was there where the tongue was contracting, and I could feel the tongue of my whale contracting on me, and the movements of this giant animal, so I could totally relate,” Packard said.

Before watching the film, he admitted that the trailer had given him what he described as “shiver bumps”. However, he remained willing to watch the movie and reflect on the memories it brought back.

A Survivor Who Continues to Inspire Others

Packard’s encounter with the humpback whale is not the only life-threatening experience he has survived.

At 14, he experienced a near-drowning incident. In 2001, he also survived a plane crash in Costa Rica that killed several people and left him injured on the jungle floor for two days before he was rescued.

Since the whale incident, Packard has repeatedly shared his story through interviews and television appearances, including an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel’s show. He also participated in a documentary titled In The Whale, which he hopes will eventually find a streaming platform.

For Packard, recounting the experience has become more than simply describing a remarkable survival story. He believes the reactions of people who hear it give his experience a deeper sense of purpose.

“I don’t know what the word is, dude. I don’t make people happy, but I make them … amazed,” he said.

“Amazed. It brings out a lot of emotion.”

He added that he enjoys giving people a sense of wonder and seeing how his story affects them.

“I love to give people that sense of wonder and awe,” Packard said. “It feels good to make other people feel good.”

His experience remains a remarkable reminder of the unpredictability of life in the ocean and the extraordinary circumstances in which human survival can depend on a moment of chance.