Recently, an Italian woman tragically lost her life while surfing in Indonesia. Giulia Manfrini, a 36-year-old from Italy, was surfing in the waters off the Mentawai Islands in West Sumatra on October 18 when she was struck in the chest by a swordfish.
According to a report by the BBC, two witnesses rushed to help Manfrini and immediately took her to the hospital, but, unfortunately, she did not survive. Lahmudin Siregar, head of the local disaster management agency, described the incident as shocking, explaining that the swordfish leaped out of the water and directly impaled her.
James Colston, co-founder of the travel agency with Manfrini, expressed that she was deeply passionate about surfing, skiing, and other adventurous activities. He believes that her final moments were spent doing what she loved most.
Fabio Giulivi, the mayor of her hometown of Veneria Reale, shared the community’s shock over her sudden death, noting that surfing and running a travel agency were two of her lifelong dreams.
While previous studies indicate that swordfish rarely attack humans, they are known for their fierce temperament and remarkable speed, reaching up to 100 kilometers per hour, making them one of the fastest fish in the ocean.
