Italian Surfer Killed by Swordfish Attack in Indonesia

indonesia - Giullia Manfrini, a 36-year-old Italian surfer, tragically lost her life in a rare accident involving a swordfish off the coast of Indonesia.

An Italian surfer, Giullia Manfrini, met with a tragic end in an unusual incident off the coast of Indonesia. Last Friday, while sailing near the island of Masokut, a large swordfish leaped out of the water and pierced her chest.

The 36-year-old woman from Turin was rescued from the water but succumbed to her injuries in the hospital, having suffered a five-centimeter deep wound.

Manfrini, who had originally studied law, had made a career change to become a snowboard coach before transitioning to surfing, mainly working in Portugal. She was on a short trip to Indonesia, a popular surfing destination.

Although swordfish, known to grow up to 4.5 meters in length and weigh 600 kilos, are not usually aggressive towards humans, they are known to impale their prey. There have been instances of boats being struck, likely mistaken for large fish.

For those on the North Sea beach, there is no cause for concern as swordfish sightings have been extremely rare off our coast in the past hundred years.