Surfer dies after being pierced by a needlefish in Indonesia

Surfer dies after being impaled by a leaping needlefish in Indonesia

A surfer attempts to thread a tube section at Lance's Left, a reef break in Katiet, Indonesia

By Jireh DengStaff Writer

Oct. 22, 2024 Updated 9:31 PM PT

An Italian surfer died last week after being impaled by a needlefish in the waters off Masokut Island in Indonesia.

Antara, a local news agency, reported that 36-year-old Giulia Manfrini had been surfing at around 9:30 a.m. when the freak accident occurred.

For the record:

9:31 p.m. Oct. 22, 2024An earlier version of this article said Manfrini was impaled by a swordfish. She was struck by a needlefish.

The fish “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 2-inch-deep stab wound in her upper left chest and showed signs of water in her lungs, according to Antara, which received the medical report.

Needlefish vary in size from 1 inch to about 3 feet in length. Attacks are extremely uncommon and deaths are largely accidental, but their sharp protruding bills make for deadly encounters when these fish can leap out of the water at speeds up to 40 miles per hour, according to the Ocean Conservancy. In 2010, a Florida woman who was kayaking was reportedly nearly killed by a needlefish after it stabbed her in the back, breaking her ribs and piercing her lungs.

Mentawai is considered one of the best surfing locations in the world, with its 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 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 it “provided all the necessary support to help with the procedures for repatriating the body.”

Friends and clients went online to share their condolences and memories of the avid surfer.

“Giulia was the lifeblood of this company and her infectious enthusiasm for surf, snow and life will be remembered by all that came in contact with her,” AWAVE co-founder, James Colston shared on social media. “Giulia couldn’t travel without people falling in love with her smile, laugh and endless stoke.”

Massimo Ferro, one of two witnesses at the scene when Manfrini was killed, shared a series of pictures from their trip leading up to the fatal accident.

“You jumped into my life full speed and likewise, you went out,” wrote Ferro on Instagram. “I feel grateful for being with you till the last second.”