An Italian surfer died last week after being impaled by a swordfish in the waters off Masokut Island in Indonesia.
Antara, a local news agency, reported that Giulia Manfrini, 36, was surfing around 9:30 a.m. when the freak accident occurred.
“Unexpectedly, a swordfish jumped towards Manfrini and stabbed him right in the chest,” said Lahmudin Siregar, head of the Mentawai Islands Regency Regional Disaster Management Agency.
Manfrini was rushed to a local hospital at PeiPei Health Center. Manfrini suffered a 2-inch-deep stab wound to the upper left part of his chest and showed signs of water in his lungs, according to Antara, who received the medical report.
Swordfish attacks are extremely rare and death is even rarer, but their sharp, protruding noses are formidable weapons for these predatory fish and can lead to deadly encounters. In 2015, a boat captain in Hawaii died after being impaled by a longbill fish in Hawaii.
Mentawai is considered one of the best surf spots in the world with its warm waters, consistent breaks and crystal clear conditions. Therefore, the islands have a thriving tourist economy based on surf camps and travel agencies that offer guided trips to foreign surfers.
Manfrini, a former professional snowboarder, co-founded AWAVE, a travel company that offered surf trips at luxury surf resorts and surf charters in remote locations around the world, including several locations on the Mentawai Islands. She was a guest at the Hidden Bay Resort in the Northern Mentawai Islands at the time of the accident.
In an Instagram post, Hidden Bay Resort wrote: “Unfortunately, in this case, there was nothing we could do” to prevent the accident, adding that it “provided all necessary support to assist with the body repatriation procedures.”
Friends and customers went online to share their condolences and memories of the avid surfer.
“Giulia was the soul of this company and her infectious enthusiasm for surfing, snow and life will be remembered by all who came into contact with her,” AWAVE co-founder James Colston shared on social media. “Giulia couldn't travel without people falling in love with her smile, her laugh and her endless enthusiasm.”
Massimo Ferro, one of the two witnesses at the scene of Manfrini's murder, shared a series of photographs from his trip prior to the fatal accident.
“You jumped into my life at full speed and left just like that,” Ferro wrote on Instagram. “I feel grateful for being with you until the last second.”
