Surfer dies after ‘freak’ needlefish accident in remote Indonesia

Italian surfer Giulia Manfrini has died after being impaled by a needlefish while “doing what she loved” in remote Indonesia.The 36-year-old from Turin suffered the freak accident while surfing off the Mentawai Islands in the West Sumatra Province on Friday.Despite efforts from her partner, local resort staff and doctors, she died.Italian surfer Giulia Manfrini has died after being impaled by a needlefish. (Instagram)”She was hit in the chest by a needlefish and died almost immediately,” Hidden Bay Resort Mentawais said.”Unfortunately, in this case, there was nothing we could do and we provided all the necessary support to help with the procedures for repatriating the body.”Co-founder of her surf travel company AWAVE Travel, James Colston, said Manfrini’s “infectious enthusiasm for surf, snow and life will be remembered by all that came in contact with her”.”We believe she died doing what she loved, in a place that she loved,” he said. ”Giulia couldn’t travel without…