Blue Planet II cameraman almost swallowed by whale

ICONINSIDER — A cameraman was almost swallowed by a humpback whale while filming ‘Blue Planet II’.
Patrick Dykstra was trying to capture footage of the enormous creature feasting on a shoal of herring in the Norwegian sea last year for the current instalment of the nature show when the 15-tonne whale – around the size of a school bus – pounced towards him in a bid to sweep up all the nearby fish lingering around the 38-year-old diver and his equipment.
In the footage, which didn’t make it in to last weekend’s episode, Patrick can be heard screaming out in panic before the humpback swerved him and swam in the opposite direction, which the videographer believes is because he realised he was a human.
Speaking to The Sun newspaper, he said: “The whale swerved to avoid hitting me. It’s fascinating how something so big and moving so fast could avoid me. They’re incredibly intelligent creatures that know exactly where they are.”
And, although he was no doubt convinced he was going to die, Patrick has admitted, on reflection, it was the “greatest moment” of his life because he was so close to the animal.
He added: “It was the greatest moment of my life.
“It was exciting to be so close to something big.”
Bosses at the BBC announced they were planning to do a second instalment of ‘Blue Planet’ after ‘Planet Earth II’ went down such a storm with viewers late last year.
The series, which was filmed over four years using new camera technology and techniques, was last on screens six years ago.
The new-and-improved technology used during filming allowed the camera crew to capture predatory fish and dolphins front on as well as get up close to whale sharks.
The crew also used two unmanned submersibles, which allowed them to record footage from 1,000 metres under the Antarctic Ocean, to capture footage of never-before filmed creatures, including hairy-chested Hoff crabs, snub fin dolphins that spit water, and a tool-using tusk fish.

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