[imagesource: Instagram/awavetravel]

An Italian surfer tragically lost her life last week after a freak encounter with a swordfish while surfing in Indonesia, local media reported.

Giulia Manfrini, 36, from northern Italy, was riding the waves in the renowned Mentawai Islands Regency, a paradise for surfers from all corners of the globe, when the unthinkable happened, according to the Indonesian news agency Antara.

“Unexpectedly, a swordfish jumped towards Manfrini and struck her squarely in the chest,” Lahmudin Siregar, acting head of the Mentawai Islands’ Disaster Management Agency, told Antara on Friday.

After spotting Manfrini’s signal for help, two witnesses rushed to her aid, administering first aid before swiftly transporting her to a nearby medical centre, per the police. Despite their efforts, the race against time had already begun.

She was the victim of a “freak accident,” said James Colston, a company co-founder.

“Unfortunately, even with the brave efforts of her partner, local resort staff and doctors, Giulia couldn’t be saved,” he wrote on Instagram. “We believe she died doing what she loved, in a place that she loved.

“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,” he continued.

Manfrini was not only a prominent figure in the surfing world, boasting over 27,000 devoted followers on social media, but also a co-founder of AWAVE, a London-based travel company dedicated to the thrill and adventure of surfing. Her influence in the surfing community was undeniable, leaving behind a legacy that stretched far beyond the waves.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by AWAVE Travel (@awavetravel)

Su Nan-Jay, an associate professor at National Taiwan Ocean University and an expert in fishery studies, emphasised the rarity of such an event, stating that the chances of a swordfish attacking a human during the day are “relatively small.” These elusive creatures typically rise from the ocean’s depths only at night, making this daytime encounter all the more chilling and unexpected.

“But you can’t say it’s impossible — it could still happen,” he said.

Swordfish can pose a “quite serious” threat that is “usually very likely to be fatal,” Su said.

“Their snout is like a real sword,” he said. “If it stabs, it goes very deep, and it could even slice through, leaving a large wound.”

It also has many barbs that carry marine vibrio, or bacteria.

“So even if the wound itself isn’t immediately fatal, it can still lead to an infection,” Su said. “It’s really, really dangerous.”

Although attacks by swordfish are rare, surfing-related deaths in general are not uncommon in Indonesia.

Image: Animalia.Bio

While swordfish attacks are indeed rare, surfing-related fatalities are tragically not uncommon in Indonesia. Just last August, an Australian man lost his life after striking his head on a reef while surfing in North Sumatra.

Additionally, the surfing community mourned the loss of American professional surfer Mikala Jones, who died last year when the fin of his surfboard severed an artery in his leg during a session in Indonesia.

[source:nbcnews]