iStockphoto / jakkapan21
The surfing community is mourning the loss of Italian surfer Giulia Manfrini, 36 years old, after she was stabbed in the chest by a fish while surfing and lost her life due to the wounds.
Reports on the fish are split due to how the same species goes by different names in different parts of the world. Australian outlets are calling it a ‘swordfish’ while American media outlets are referring to it as a ‘needlefish’ which is what we call the species here. In the States, a ‘swordfish’ is the pelagic species that can grow to 10+ feet long and weigh several hundred pounds. This is not that fish, based on the reports.
According to local authorities, the 36-year-old Italian surfer was in the waters off of Ombak Bengbeng near Masokut Island when she was stabbed in the chest by a needlefish. Mentawai Islands’ Disaster Management Agency’s acting head, Lahmudin Siregar, told media outlets the fish “unexpectedly jumped towards Manfrini and pierced her chest.”
The incident occurred last Friday, October 18th, and Giulia was rushed to a nearby hospital after the injury but nothing was able to be done to resuscitate her according to Australia’s ABC News.
According to The Intertia, the other surfers in the water attempted to paddle over to help after hearing a noise and Manfrini then fell off her surfboard. As the surfers were paddling over they were swept away by the largest set of waves of the day, and once they finally arrived they believe she fainted as they got there.
This is a deeply sad incident and the loss of a life far too soon. And as rare as it is for a person to succumb to wounds from fish impalement, it is not unheard of. A surfer from Perth, Australia was impaled last year and had a 1-foot fish sticking out of his nose while surfing in the Mentawai Islands.
To say that surfers should stay more vigilant in the water is foolish. Nobody is paying attention to their surroundings more than surfers who are constantly on the look out for the next set of waves, for potential sharks in the water, or to watch their fellow surfers in the lineup catch their next wave. Everyone in the lineup has their head on a swivel.
Mayor Fabio Giulivi from Turin expressed condolences at the loss of life. Writing on Facebook (via FB translate):
“The entire Venarian community is gathering around Giulia Manfrini’s family. 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. Giulia, from Venaria, only 36 years old, had long had her double dream of surfing, her favorite sport, and of opening a travel agency for sports holidays. And so, in the middle of life, he misses his loved ones in such a tragic way in the Indian Ocean. To mum Chiara, dad Giorgio and all the people who loved her, a touched hug from me and the whole City.”
Incidents between fish and people on boats or in the water are extremely rare, but again, not entirely unheard of. A woman last year was stabbed in the groin by a 100-pound sailfish that leapt into her boat. And going back to 2019, two brothers were stabbed in the arms by a marlin.
Out hearts go out to those that knew her and are feeling a deep loss at this time.