25-year-old surfer dies after being 'overcome by waves' at Moonstone Beach in Humboldt County

A 25-year-old woman died Sunday afternoon after she reportedly became detached from her surfboard and was "overcome by waves" at Moonstone Beach near Trinidad, a press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office said.

Deputies were dispatched to the beach at approximately 3:51 p.m. after receiving a report of a surfer in distress, who was later identified as Martina Marie Scarfia of Eureka. Witnesses said the two women had been surfing in the ocean, and another beachgoer swam out into the water in an attempt to rescue Scarfia.

Larisa King, who was at the beach at the time of the emergency, told local outlet Redheaded Blackbelt she and her husband called 911 after they saw two surfboards wash ashore and then a person "jumping up and down" in the water. King said this person turned out to be Scarfia's older sister Asia Autumn Scarfia-Ward, who was trying to resuscitate Scarfia.

Scarfia was pulled out of the water and airlifted to a local hospital via helicopter by the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Humboldt Bay. She was later pronounced deceased, police said.

Scarfia-Ward told the Lost Coast Outpost that Scarfia had experienced an unknown medical emergency while out surfing and lost consciousness. Scarfia-Ward said that her sister had just graduated from College of the Redwoods' nursing school the day before.

An autopsy is underway, and cause and manner of death remain under investigation pending results, police said.

Moonstone Beach County Park is north of the mouth of the Little River.