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Former professional snowboarder Giulia Manfrini died last week in a surfing accident near the Mentawai Islands off the West Sumatra coast in Indonesia.
According to state-news agency Antara, via CNN’s Alex Stambaugh, Mentawai Islands disaster management agency head Lahmudin Siregar said the 36-year-old from Italy was struck in the chest by a swordfish while surfing.
Per AFP, Siregar added that the swordfish caused a wound that was two inches deep, and Hidden Bay Resort Mentawais wrote on Instagram that Manfrini “died almost immediately.”
James Colston, who was Manfrini’s business partner, released a statement Sunday on her death, saying: “Unfortunately, even with the brave efforts of her partner, local resort staff and doctors, Giulia couldn’t be saved. We believe she died doing what she loved, in a place that she loved.”
Manfrini was the co-founder of the AWAVE Travel agency along with Colston, and she served as head of surf resorts sales.
According to CBS News, Manfrini’s death came just over a year after professional surfer Mikala Jones died in a surfing accident in the same region.
Jones, who was 44, had his femoral artery cut by his surfboard fin while he was surfing near the Mentawai Islands.
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