A tragic accident has shaken one of the surfers' paradises: Giulia Manfrini, a 36-year-old influencer originally from Venaria Reale, in the province of Turin, died from a swordfish attack in the Mentawai Islands, in Indonesia.
Article Key Points
The woman was surfing in the waters off Pulau Masokut when, according to Lahmudin Siregar, acting head of the Mentawai Islands Regional Disaster Management Agency, “a swordfish leapt towards Manfrini and hit her in the chest.”
Giulia suffered a deep cut of at least five centimeters in the upper chest. After calling for help, she was rescued and transported to the Pei Pei Pasakiat Taileleu medical center, but unfortunately there was nothing that could be done.
Authorities are organizing the return of the body to Italy, with an initial transfer to the Pei Pei Community Health Center, then to Padang and finally the flight to Italy.
Born and raised in Venaria, where her parents live, Giulia graduated in law at the University of Turin and had recently moved to Portugal.
Giulia had recently moved to Portugal
Always passionate about sports, she started with the snow, becoming a ski and snowboard instructor, participating in three editions of the Winter Universiade. Later, her passion for the sea led her to dedicate herself to surfing, a sport she practiced all over the world. She had also founded a travel agency specializing in sports holidays and, thanks to social media, she was very popular among Italian surfers.
The mayor of Venaria, Fabio Giulivi, expressed the community’s condolences: “All of Venaria is rallying around Giulia’s family. We are shocked and feel helpless in the face of this tragedy.”
The news reached the city late this morning, informing the mother, Chiara, a family doctor, and the father Giorgio, a lawyer.
The Mentawai Islands, where the accident occurred, are a popular tourist destination, especially for surfers, compared to Hawaii for its waves. This is not the first fatal accident in the area; an American, Erick Robert Soreker, died in the South Pagai district last June.
Article published on 19 October 2024 - 20:56
