- Giuliana Manfrini died off Sumatra earlier this month
- The 36-year-old was a big-wave surfer and thrillseeker
The surfing world is mourning Giuliana Manfrini after she died in a freak accident when a swordfish stabbed her in the heart off the Indonesian coast earlier this month.
The 36-year-old Italian was catching waves near Pulau Masokut Island off the coast of western Sumatra when the fish jumped out of the water and drove its bill five centimetres into her chest, according to witnesses.
Her fellow surfers Massimo Ferro and Alexandre Ribas gave her first aid and she was rushed to a local medical clinic but could not be saved, surfing website Beach Grit reported.
Manfrini described herself as a ‘surf & snow travel expert’ on her Instagram account.
She co-founded the Awave Travel company and also worked as a surfing and snowboarding instructor, in addition to being a law graduate.
Indonesia-based surfing charter company Naa Laut Mentawai Blue mourned the Italian once news of her death broke, writing on social media: ‘With an extremely heavy heart … RIP our beautiful, friendly always smiling and happy friend Giulia Manfrini. One who had such a deep love and overflowing excitement for life!’
Fabio Giulivi, the mayor of the Italian town of Venaria Reale, where Manfrini was born, wrote: ‘Giulia, from Venaria, only 36 years old, had long had her double dream of surfing, her favourite sport, and of opening a travel agency for sports holidays.
‘The news of her death has left us shocked and makes us feel powerless in front of the tragedy that took her life so prematurely.’
Giuliana Manfrini (pictured) is being mourned after a freak accident with a swordfish killed her while she was surfing off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra
The 36-year-old Italian thrillseeker suffered a 5cm-deep wound to her heart when the swordfish leaped out of the water and stabbed her
In 2019, Manfrini opened up about her love for Sumatra in an interview with the Salt Sirens website.
‘Surfing wise, I love the wilderness of North Sumatra – the rainforest there is so primordial and gorgeous!’ she said.
‘I love sitting in the line up with few friends, listening only to the sounds of the jungle, and waiting for a set which I already know will be perfect and will deliver some barrels.’
She added that her favourite break is found at Nias, to the north of the spot where she lost her life.
‘I love that wave so much, I could surf it every day for hours,’ she said.
Manfrini (pictured) had previously talked about her love of surfing in Indonesia
In her last Instagram post back in April, Manfrini told her followers, ‘Out of office. See you in 2 weeks.’
Swordfish attacks on humans are incredibly rare.
A 2007 article for the Asian Journal of Surgery stated that only one attack that had been reported at the time resulted in death.
The article examined the case of a 39-year-old man who died when his right eye was pierced when a swordfish ‘jumped towards him’ as he shone a torch into the water while fishing at night.
‘There are no reports of unprovoked swordfish attacks on humans, though there have been several reports of attacks resulting in body and chest injuries,’ the Journal reported.
