'We love you': Tributes pour in for surfer who died after fish reportedly pierced chest

An Italian surfer died after she was impaled by a fish with a sharp bill while surfing off Indonesia's West Sumatra coast.

Giulia Manfrini was co-founder and head of surf resorts sales at Awave Travel, which announced her death on Instagram. She was surfing in the Mentawai Islands around 9:30 a.m. on Oct. 18 when she died, her co-founder and friend James Colston confirmed to USA TODAY early Wednesday morning.

Manfrini, who was 36, died after a swordfish speared her in the chest, reported the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, citing Lahmudin Siregar, acting head of the Mentawai Islands' Disaster Management Agency.

Siregar said the swordfish "unexpectedly jumped towards Manfrini and pierced her chest,” the Australian outlet reported.

Other accounts of the incident, including from the resort where it happened and a witness who spoke with surfing publication The Inertia, described fish as a needlefish.

Manfrini suffered a wound deep in her chest and showed signs of drowning. Her body has been taken to Padang City and will eventually be taken to Italy, ABC in Australia reported.

When contacted, Colston, her co-founder and friend, said she was a "respected member of the surf travel community, both within Europe and worldwide."

"Her kindness, care and positivity were remembered by all that met her and she will be dearly missed," he wrote in an email to USA TODAY early Wednesday morning, adding that he was with her boyfriend and the pair were repatriating her body to Italy with the help of the Italian Embassy.

“Giulia was surfing in remote Indonesia and suffered a freak accident,” he wrote in an earlier announcement about her passing. “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.”

Others came to surfer’s aid but were swept away

Alexandre Ribas, an owner of Hidden Bay Resort Mentawais, told USA TODAY early Wednesday morning that Manfrini was waiting for a wave to surf when she was struck by the fish.

She screamed, catching the attention of other surfers, then fell off her board, Ribas shared. Surfers immediately paddled towards her to help, only a big wave, "perhaps the biggest of the day," came and swept everyone away. Eventually they were able to get her to the beach but she wasn't responsive. A doctor in the group even tried to revive her to no avail, Ribas told USA TODAY Wednesday morning.

She was taken to hospital in a nearby village, where an ambulance was already waiting for her. However, she had died by the time she arrived at the hospital, Ribas said.

Someone on a private boat took Manfrini's body to the city of Padang and by early Wednesday morning, her body was in Jakarta on its way to Italy, Ribas said.

Man says he has 'never witnessed anything like this'

Ribas has lived in the Mentawais Islands for over 10 years and owns the resort where Manfrini was staying with her boyfriend.

He told USA TODAY that he "has never witnessed anything like this and that it all happened very quickly."

"I was on the boat with her boyfriend when I realized something was wrong and I jumped into the water with my board and paddled towards the group," Ribas said.

"I would like to thank everyone who helped in the attempt to save Giulia, and also the legal authorities who gave all their support in the case," Ribas wrote. "I would also like to send my condolences to all her family and friends."

The resort also shared the news of her passing online and called Manifrini “a client and friend who died in a sad accident while surfing one of the friendliest waves in the region.”

Resort staff shared on Instagram that they care about the safety of their guests and keep safety items and basic first aid procedures in place at the resort and on the company’s boats.

“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,” the resort wrote on Instagram. “We do know, however, that she continued to do what she loved best and without suffering.”

‘We love you’: Community remembers fallen surfer

Manfrini was from Italy and was also a former pro snowboarder, according to her bio on Awave Travel website. She not only loved surfing but also song-writing, dancing and playing beach volleyball.

Photographer Megan Costello met her seven years ago on a surf charter in Mentawai.

"Giulia was a legend who fully sent it in life," Costello said. "I will always be inspired by her positivity, infectious laugh and absolute stoke in the water."

Fabio Giulivi, the mayor of Manfrini's hometown, Venaria Reale in Italy, shared a post about her on social media and said the community supports her family. He said hearing of her death was shocking and called her passing a tragedy.

Her company's co-founder, Colston, called her the “lifeblood” of Awave Travel. He said people often fell in love with her smile and laugh.

“We love you Giulia,” Colston wrote on social media. “I am so sorry to say goodbye.”

This story has been updated to include information about the type of fish involved in the incident.

Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Follow her on Twitter at @SaleenMartin or email her at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Surfer Giulia Manfrini dies after fish reportedly pierces chest