A surfer has died after being impaled by a swordfish in a freak accident in Indonesia.

Giulia Manfrini, a 36-year-old Italian, was riding a wave when the swordfish reportedly leapt out of the water and struck her in the chest.

The incident happened on Masokut Island, a popular surfing spot in the Mentawai archipelago which lies off the west coast of Sumatra.

It was witnessed by two other surfers, named in local reports as Massimo Ferro and Alexandre Ribas.

They rushed to help Manfrini and administered first aid as best they could.

She had a five-centimetre deep stab wound on the upper left-hand side of her chest.

She was taken to a local health clinic but could not be saved.

A passionate surfer, Manfrini was from the Piedmont region of northern Italy and had more than 20,000 followers on Instagram.

Photographs on her account show her surfing and enjoying beach life in a series of idyllic tropical locations.

She graduated in law but forged a career initially as a snowboarding coach. She then developed an interest in surfing and moved to Bali, where she worked as a surfing instructor.