Italian surfer Giulia Manfrini, 36 years old, passed away after being impaled by a needlefish whilst surfing off the Mentawai Islands of Indonesia. The incident reportedly took place around 9:30 am local time on October 18, 2024, when a needlefish lunged at her, piercing her chest with its beak. It is estimated to have gone 5 cm deep. Reportedly, Manfrini was killed instantly as the fish pierced directly into her heart. This incident has prompted concerns about the potential danger these fish may pose when they come closer.
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Are Needlefish Aggressive? An Overview of Their Behavior
Needlefish possess elongated and slender bodies, have sharper beaks, and are often regarded as non-dangerous for humans, as per American Oceans. Nevertheless, they may become dangerous in certain circumstances, especially if they sense danger or fear.
Needlefish are generally timid animals that live in surface waters of tropical and subtropical oceans. They are more prone to swim away from humans than interact with them. They can be observed cruising along the surface during the day, hunting small fish. They leap out of the water to capture their prey or escape a threat.
A rather distinctive feature of needlefish’s behavior is their tendency to leap from the water's surface. They can become sensitive when feeling threatened and leap out of the water as high as three feet. If a swimmer or a surfer happens to be around it, they could be pricked. This behavior, which has been regarded as aggressive, is, in fact, just a survival instinct.
Needlefish are not considered aggressive, although there have been reports of people suffering serious injury from needlefish when it leaped out of the water at high speed and impaled the person. This could occur in rare cases if a person were walking or swimming near a needlefish as it leaped from the water. Puncture wounds caused by needlefish can be severe and may require medical treatment.
Recent Case of Italian Surfer Giulia Manfrini
Lahmudin Siregar, interim head of the Mentawai Islands Regency Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), allegedly told news agency Antara:
"The information we received from the Head of Southwest Siberut District was that an accident occurred with an Italian citizen while surfing." Siregar added: "Unexpectedly, a swordfish jumped towards Manfrini and stuck her right in the chest."
Reports suggest Manfrini was killed almost instantly when the fish punctured her heart, but other surfers and medical staff from a nearby resort attempted to save her. She was taken to the Pei Pei Pasakiat Taileleu health center, where she died, according to Antara news agency citing Siberut police.
Her business partner, James Colston, announced the news in an Instagram post and said she had "died doing what she loved, in a place that she loved."
Manfrini is a well-known surfer and co-founder of AWAVE, the London-based travel company specializing in surfing.
Fabio Giulivi, the mayor of Manfrini’s hometown of Venaria Reale, added that the surfer had been “tragically” taken away from her family and friends.
“The news of her death has left us shocked and makes us feel powerless in the face of the tragedy that took her life so prematurely,” Giulivi said in an Instagram post.
“To all those who loved her, I offer my heartfelt condolences, both from myself and from the entire city,” Giulivi added.
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