An Italian surfer died last week after being impaled by a swordfish in the waters of Masokut Island in Indonesia. Antara, a local news agency, reported that 36-year-old Giulia Manfrini had been surfing at around 9.30am when the freak accident occurred.
"Unexpectedly, a swordfish jumped toward Manfrini and stuck her 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 the PeiPei Health Center. Manfrini suffered a two-inch-deep (5cm) stab wound in her upper left chest and showed signs of water in her lungs, according to Antara, who received the medical report.
Swordfish attacks are extremely uncommon and death is even rarer, but their sharp protruding noses are formidable weapons for these predatory fish and can make for deadly encounters. In 2015, a boat captain in Hawaii died after being speared by the long-billed fish in Hawaii. Mentawai is considered one of the best surfing locations in the world with it's warm waters, consistent breaks and glassy conditions.
The islands therefore have a flourishing tourism economy from surf camps and travel agencies that offer foreign surfers guided trips. Manfrini, an ex-pro snowboarder, was a co-founder of AWAVE, a travel company that offered surf trips at luxury surf resorts and surf charters in remote locations across the world, including several spots in the Mentawai islands. She was a guest at the Hidden Bay Resort in the North.