A Needlefish Attack Took the Life of a Pro Surfer

The family and friends of famed Italian surfer Giulia Manfrini are in mourning after the 36 year old's death. Manfrini was killed in what is being described as a "freak accident" after being stabbed in the chest by a needlefish.

The announcement was made by Manfrini's business partner, who issued a statement about her death on Instagram.

While needlefish attacks are incredibly uncommon, accidental deaths can still happen when people encounter the fish in the wild. Learn more about the sad circumstances that lead to Manfrini's death below.

Manfrini was killed in Indonesia on Oct. 18, 2024, at around 9:30 a.m. local time. A needlefish breached the water while Manfrini was surfing, impaling her in the chest with a long sword-like nose.

The ensuing wound was approximately 5 centimeters deep, according to a representative for the Mentawai Islands disaster management who spoke with the Antara network and was quoted by CNN. Reports about Manfrini's attack seem to indicate that she was killed almost instantly when her heart was pierced by the fish's elongated beak.

Despite the best efforts of two witnesses who provided first aid after witnessing the needlefish attack, and the staff and medical team working at a nearby resort, Manfrini died as a result of her wounds.

James Colston, Manfrini's AWAVE Travel partner, broke the news to her followers on Instagram, telling fans that the company's co-founder had been killed while surfing.

"We believe she died doing what she loved, in a place that she loved," he wrote in his Instagram statement.

Colson called the attack a freak accident in his Instagram post, mostly because needlefish aren't known to be aggressive in the water. The long and slender fish — which normally only grow to a max length of 37.4 inches, according to Wikipedia — typically prey on smaller fish.

However, they do become dangerous when they leave the water, which they frequently do to avoid objects (like boats or decks) that cross their path while they're swimming.

These fish can reach up to 37 miles per hour when breaching the water, which adds an extra layer of danger to their already sharp and spear-like beaks. In Indonesia, and the surrounding Pacific Ocean, breaching needlefish are especially dangerous, and often pose a bigger threat to humans than sharks, according to Wikipedia.

Since needlefish swim close to the surface, it seems like they're more frequently drawn unexpected light, like that which would occur early in the morning or when someone is using an artificial light source to guide their way in the dark of night.

Since 1977, there have been 11 documented attacks by needlefish, most of which resulted in serious injury or death as a result.

While it sounds like Manfrini's attack was indeed a freak accident, needlefish do seem to pose at least a small risk to anyone entering their habitat, even those who aren't even physically in the water at the time the fish breach the surface.