A man described as a local surfer suffered a medical emergency Thursday and needed to be rescued in the water along Cardiff State Beach.
Surfer Trevor Salter was sipping coffee before getting into the water at 9:45 a.m. when he noticed a surfer go down into the water in the area of Tower 15.
“He stayed face down for about 10 seconds,” Salter said when he decided to grab his own board and run into the surf.
Two lifeguards from LA County were already on scene.
Together, the group tried to stay centered on a surfboard while doing CPR. They were able to ride a wave to the beach where they were met by emergency personnel.
Lifeguards with the state and the City of Encinitas rushed to the beach along the South Coast Highway. Encinitas firefighters arrived as well.
“We fought our way to the beach with 13, 14 other lovely surfers helping out, ” Salter said adding how great it was to see everyone in the area stop surfing and jump in to help.
Local
Firefighters said the man had suffered a cardiac arrest in the water. An ambulance transported the victim to Scripps Encinitas.
His identity was not released however Salter described the man as a regular surfer at the beach.
