Italian surfer influencer, Giulia Manfrini, was killed while surfing when a swordfish broke the water and fatally pierced her through her chest. 

Manfrini, who was 36, was surfing a very well known surf break on the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, at Masokut island in the Mentawai archipelago when the devastating event occurred. 

A source that saw the incident occur described the fish as a needlefish.

Swordfish have a long, flattened bill that looks like a sword while needle fish have a smaller sharp bill. It is highly rare for a human attacked by one but killed as well. 

It has been reported that the swordfish unexpectedly jumped towards Manfrini and pierced her through the chest. 

Manfrini reportedly had a five centimeters (1.96 inches) deep stab wound on the left side of her chest and had signs of drowning as well in her autopsy. She was struck around 9:30 a.m. in the morning.

Fellow surfers around attempted to come to her aid. Alexandre Ribas, an owner of Hidden Bay Resort Mentawais stated that Manfrini screamed and then fell off her board, which caught the attention of other surfers. 

They all tried to paddle towards her but a major wave came in and swept them away from her. 

“I was on the boat with her boyfriend when I realized something was wrong and I jumped into the water with my board and paddled towards the group,” stated Ribas. 

The resort shared the news of her passing online and claimed Manfrini to be “a client and friend who died in a sad accident while surfing one of the friendliest waves in the region.”

They were later able to get her onto the beach. Manfrini was then transported to a hospital, Pei Pei Paasakiat Taileleu Health Centre, when she unfortunately could not be saved. 

On an Instagram poster Manfrini’s friend and business partner, James Colton stated, “Unfortunately, even with the brave efforts of her partner, local resort staff and doctors, Giulia couldn’t be saved. We believe she died doing what she loved, in a place that she loved.”

Manfrini and Colston were business partners who founded AWAVE Travel. 

They organized trips to suffering destinations. They also owned a company called AWAVE Travel Snow, which offered trips to popular ski and snowboard destinations. She was a former pro snowboarder. 

Colton also expressed that Manfrini was the lifeline of those companies and her enthusiastic love for surfing and snow will always be remembered.  Colton and Mnfrini’s boyfriend have repatriated her body to Italy. 

Manfrini also loved song-writing, dancing, and playing beach volleyball. 

The mayor, Fabio Giulivi,  of Manfrini’s hometown in Venaria Reale, Italy made a post on social media sending condolences and support  to her family and stated how her passing was beyond tragic. He stated that her opening an agency and being able to travel and surf has been her “double Dream.” 

Many tributes have been made towards the surfer, keeping her legacy alive.