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Martina Scarfia | Photo via Facebook, used with permission.

Martina Scarfia, a 25-year-old Eureka woman who graduated from College of the Redwoods’ nursing school Saturday, died at Moonstone Beach Sunday afternoon despite rescue efforts from concerned onlookers and the U.S. Coast Guard.

While out surfing, Scarfia experienced an unknown medical emergency and lost consciousness, her older sister, Asia Autumn Scarfia-Ward, told the Outpost on Monday.

As first reported by Kym Kemp on Redheaded Blackbelt, the Coast Guard and other agencies were dispatched to Moonstone Beach Sunday afternoon in response to a 911 call regarding a surfer who’d been pulled from the ocean.

Trinidad resident Larisa King was at the beach with her husband at the time, and in an email to the Outpost she said that they and other beachgoers attempted to help Scarfia, who appeared unconscious.

“My husband and I saw what happened and assisted with contacting 911,” King said in her email, adding, “She was ultimately airlifted by coast guard helicopter after a period of approximately 30 minutes of chest compressions.”

Scarfia-Ward confirmed in a Facebook post this morning that her sister passed away Sunday. 

“My beautiful baby sister took her last breath yesterday,” Scarfia-Ward wrote. (She gave the Outpost permission to share her message with the public.) “I am so proud of everything she has done and the amazing person she has become. She graduated from Nursing School with honors on Saturday. We celebrated as a family and paddled out together one last time until paradise. I love you Martina Scarfia.”

Scarfia was born in Nebraska but raised here in Humboldt County since 2000, her sister told the Outpost.

We have requested more information from the Coast Guard and the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office. We will update this post as that information becomes available.

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UPDATE, 1:55 p.m.: 

From the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On May 14, 2023, at about 3:51 p.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to Moonstone Beach near Trinidad for the report of a surfer in distress.

According to witnesses, two women were surfing in the ocean when one of them, later identified as 25-year-old Martina Marie Scarfia of Eureka, reportedly became unattached from the surfboard and was overcome by waves. Another beachgoer was notified of the emergency and swam out to rescue Scarfia. She was recovered from the water and transported to a local hospital via helicopter by the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Humboldt Bay. Scarfia was later pronounced deceased.

An autopsy is in the process of being scheduled. Cause and manner of death remain under investigation, pending the results of the autopsy.  

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CORRECTION: This post has been updated to reflect that Scarfia lived in Eureka rather than Arcata.