Jonathan Quispe was not carrying an oxygen tank. Just a knife, a mask, and the certainty that something was wrong in the water.
Off the coast of Peru, this artisanal fisherman heard what he described as cries of pain: a humpback whale was sinking again and again, entangled in fishing gear that turned out to be from his own equipment. Instead of moving away, Quispe plunged into the sea and swam toward the animal. The whale submerged and resurfaced, dodging him, until he made a decision that few would dare to make: he climbed onto its back so he could cut the net precisely.
The rescue was recorded and went viral after Quispe recounted it on Latina’s program Arriba Mi Gente. He said it was not the first time: he had already freed trapped dolphins and turtles before. This time, in front of the cameras, the entire sea seemed to hold its breath.