World
Italian surfer dies in freak accident after swordfish impales her while surfing in Indonesia
An Italian woman surfing an island break off the west coast of Sumatra died in a freak accident when a swordfish impaled her, according to reports.
The Antara News Agency in Indonesia reported that 36-year-old Giulia Manfrini was surfing in the waters of Masokut Island in the Mentawai Islands, just off the west coast of Sumatra, when she was stabbed by the bill of a swordfish.
Acting head of the Mentawai Islands’ Disaster Management Agency, Lahmudin Siregar, told the news outlet that his agency was notified about the accident involving an Italian citizen who was surfing.
He said Manfrini was hunting waves in the waters of Ombak Bengbeng, Masokut Island in the Southwest Siberut District.
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Giulia Manfrini died in a freak accident earlier this month after she was impaled by a swordfish in the chest while hunting for waves off the coast of Sumatra. (Credit: ROPI via ZUMA Press)
“Unexpectedly, a swordfish jumped toward Manfrini and stuck it right in the chest of the female tourist,” Siregar added.
Information obtained by Antara from Siberut Police suggests Manfrini asked for help by waving to two witnesses who were also foreign nationals, named Alexandre Ribas and Massimo Ferro.
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Giulia Manfrini was impaled by a swordfish while surfing in Indonesia. (Credit: Instagram Giuliamanfrini)
The two witnesses rushed to assist Manfrini and provided first aid before taking her to a nearby clinic, where she was pronounced dead.
A medical examination conducted by the medical team at Pei Pei Puskesmas found Manfrini suffered a stab wound in the upper chest, about 5 centimeters deep. The report also said the victim’s nose emitted foam, suggesting a lack of oxygen due to drowning.
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Giulia Manfrini died in a freak accident earlier this month after she was impaled by a swordfish. (Asia Pacific Press)
Manfrini’s body is currently in Pei Pei Puskesmas and is expected to be taken to the city of Padang before being sent back to Italy.
Manfrini reportedly grew up in Venaria Reale, Italy, a community just outside the city of Turin.
The mayor of Venaria Reale, Fabio Giulivi, spoke about Manfrini’s sudden death on Saturday.
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Giulia Manfrini was an Italian surfer. (Credit: Instagram Giuliamanfrini)
“The entire Venarian community is gathering around Giulia Manfrini’s family,” Giulivi said in a translated post. “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.”
He continued, saying Manfrini dreamed of surfing and opening a travel agency for sports vacations.
“To mum Chiara, dad Giorgio and all the people who loved her, a touching hug from me and the whole city,” Giulivi said.
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Giulia Manfrini dreamed of opening her own travel agency. (Giulia Manfrini/Instagram)
Tributes poured in after news broke about Manfrini’s death.
One person who said she spent Manfrini’s last evening with her picking pomegranates and talking about making fig jam, wrote about her friend, saying, “We can only say how much she got out of her short life, and she filled it completely.”
Another person wrote, “We are a huge heartbroken community that loved Giulia with all our hearts. She was the most lighthearted friend we had, always bringing joy and love to our group.”
The Mentawai Islands Regency is a popular international tourist destination, especially for surfing.
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By Jorge Mitssunaga
May 16, 2026
World
WHO declares Ebola outbreak in Central Africa a public health emergency after 80 suspected deaths
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The World Health Organization declared an Ebola outbreak in Central Africa an international public health emergency on Sunday after dozens of suspected deaths were reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighboring Uganda.
The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, does not meet the criteria for a pandemic emergency, the WHO said.
The declaration follows reports of 80 suspected deaths, eight laboratory-confirmed cases and 246 suspected cases as of Saturday across at least three health zones in the Democratic Republic of Congo, including Bunia, Rwampara and Mongbwalu.
The development comes as global health officials continue monitoring a rare hantavirus outbreak tied to the MV Hondius cruise ship, which left multiple passengers and crew members sick, and caused three deaths.
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A health worker sprays disinfectant on a colleague after working at an Ebola treatment center in Beni, eastern Congo, on Sept. 9, 2018. (Al-hadji Kudra Maliro/AP)
As of May 13, the WHO said 11 hantavirus cases had been identified in connection with the cruise outbreak, including eight confirmed cases, two probable cases and one inconclusive case.
In neighboring Uganda’s capital, Kampala, the WHO said two apparently unrelated laboratory-confirmed Ebola cases — including one death — were reported Friday and Saturday involving people who had traveled from the DRC.
Another laboratory-confirmed case was reported in the DRC capital of Kinshasa involving a person returning from Ituri province.
Initial tests suggested the outbreak does not involve the Ebola Zaire strain, which caused Congo’s devastating 2018–2020 epidemic that killed more than 1,000 people.
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Health workers wearing protective suits tend to an Ebola victim in an isolation tent in Beni, Congo, on July 13, 2019. (Jerome Delay/AP)
However, unlike Ebola-Zaire strains, there are currently no approved vaccines or therapeutics for the Bundibugyo strain, which the WHO described as making the outbreak “extraordinary.”
The WHO warned the outbreak could be larger than currently reported due to the high positivity rate among initial samples and the growing number of suspected cases.
The outbreak also poses a public health risk to other countries, the WHO said, urging nations to activate emergency-management systems and implement cross-border screening measures.
‘DISEASE X’ HAS KILLED DOZENS IN THE CONGO — HERE’S WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE MYSTERY ILLNESS
Ambulances parked at Bunia General Referral Hospital following confirmation of an Ebola outbreak involving the Bundibugyo strain in Bunia, Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo, May 16, 2026. (REUTERS/Victoire Mukenge)
Ebola is a highly contagious and often fatal disease spread through bodily fluids, including blood, vomit and semen. Symptoms can include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain and internal bleeding.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus recently said Congo has a “strong track record” responding to Ebola outbreaks while announcing the release of $500,000 in emergency funding to support containment efforts.
The WHO said it will convene an emergency committee to review recommendations for how affected countries should respond.
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Health workers dressed in protective gear begin their shift at an Ebola treatment center in Beni, Congo, on July 16, 2019. (Jerome Delay/AP)
The organization did not recommend border closures or travel restrictions.
Congo has now recorded 17 Ebola outbreaks since the virus was first identified in the country in 1976.
Fox News Digital’s Jasmine Baehr and Brittany Miller, along with Reuters, contributed to this report.
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