Italian woman fatally impaled by swordfish while surfing Mentawai island off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia

Italian national Giulia Manfrini was killed by a swordfish while surfing at a popular Mentawai surf spot off the west coast of Sumatra, in Indonesia last Friday.

The 36-year-old was impaled while catching a wave off Masokut Island, suffering a 5cm deep wound in the upper-left side of her chest.

Witnesses were able to get her out of the water and to a local health clinic, but she died shortly after, The Standard reports.

The death of Manfrini — a surf coach, founder of surf travel agency AWAVE, law graduate, and former snowboarding instructor — has sent a number of international communities into mourning.

Surf charter operator Naga Laut Mentawai Blue described Manfrini on social media as having had “a deep love and overflowing excitement for life”.

“RIP our beautiful, friendly, always smiling and happy friend,” it said.

Fabio Giulivi, the mayor of Venaria Reale, where Manfrini was born, wrote on social media: “The entire Venarian community is gathering around Giulia Manfrini’s family.”

“Giulia, from Venaria, only 36 years old, had long had her double dream of surfing, her favourite sport, and of opening a travel agency for sports holidays.

“The news of her death has left us shocked and makes us feel powerless in front of the tragedy that took her life so prematurely.”

Another touching tribute came from Denise Austin, Manfrini’s volleyball coach in Lagos, where the young surfer was reportedly living just before her death.

“Our whole community in Portugal is heartbroken alongside you as we hear of the sad news,” Austin wrote on social media.

“She loved life, and we spent (our) last evening (together) picking pomegranates and talking about making fig jam and what other fruit we would harvest together next year. She became like my new Italian daughter, and oh how we will miss her.

“We can only say how much she got out of her short life, and she filled it completely.”