Last week, a surfer tragically lost her life after being impaled by a fish while surfing off the coast of West Sumatra in Indonesia. This incident has caused many surfers and swimmers to reconsider the potential dangers lurking in the ocean beyond just sharks.

On October 18, 36-year-old Giulia Manfrini was surfing in the Mentawai Islands when a fish, possibly a swordfish or a needlefish, struck her in the chest. The resort reported it as a needlefish, but the local disaster management agency claimed it was a swordfish, as noted by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Attacks from these types of fish are uncommon, but they do happen. There have been incidents recorded where people suffered serious injuries or even fatalities from being hit by either swordfish or needlefish. Both species are known to jump out of the water and can inflict wounds with their sharp bills.

Swordfish typically inhabit midwater depths and can weigh over 1,000 pounds and reach lengths of 170 inches. In contrast, commercially caught swordfish are usually smaller, weighing between 50 to 200 pounds and measuring 47 to 75 inches long.

Needlefish are generally smaller, with the largest species reaching about 4 feet long, featuring elongated beaks and razor-sharp teeth.

Frequency of Swordfish Attacks

Although there have been injuries and fatalities caused by swordfish and needlefish, such attacks remain rare, as noted by various studies.

In 2015, a fisherman in Hawaii was killed when a swordfish he had caught attacked him with its bill. The victim, Randy Llanes, 47, had entered the water with a speargun, according to police reports.

Swordfish have also been known to injure sharks with their bills. A notable incident in April 2020 involved the discovery of a deceased female thresher shark on the Libyan coast, which had part of a swordfish’s bill embedded in its body.

Interestingly, swordfish occasionally target non-living objects as well. In 2010, they were responsible for damaging an oil pipeline in Angola, puncturing it and delaying shipments, according to a report by Reuters.

Frequency of Needlefish Attacks

Needlefish are commonly found near shorelines where surfers are likely to be present. Marine biologist Jeanine Sepulveda from MiraCosta College explained to YSL News that swordfish typically stay in deep waters and only occasionally surface to bask.

Research conducted in Brazil indicates that needlefish may leap out of the water in response to nighttime lights or disturbances on the water’s surface. A recent case involved a 20-year-old surfer near São Paulo who required medical treatment after a needlefish jaw became lodged behind his ear.

In another incident last December, a surfer in Indonesia was speared in the armpit by a needlefish and suffered a punctured lung but ultimately survived, according to *Surfer* magazine.

A tourist in Thailand experienced severe injury from a needlefish that struck his neck while swimming, as reported by the *Bangkok Post* in 2022. Moreover, a few years earlier, a needlefish fatally injured a soldier in the same region of Thailand.

“During my time in Panama, we were always cautious around needlefish—especially at night—because they can leap out of the water like flying fish and pose a risk to those in small boats,” said Sepulveda.