A tragic scene unfolded on Sunday night in Ohio when five individuals, including two sets of parents, tragically lost their lives attempting to save a swimmer in distress in the river. Their heroic but ultimately heartbreaking efforts have left several young children without their parents.
The group, which included five adults, two children, and one other individual, headed to the Scioto River to enjoy a summer evening of fishing and relaxation. What was meant to be a peaceful outing quickly turned into a nightmare, Delaware County Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer revealed during a news conference held on Monday.
The disaster began when one of the adults decided to take a swim in the river but soon found themselves in trouble. In a desperate attempt to assist, two other adults jumped in to help, but they too started to struggle against the current. Despite the mounting danger, two more adults plunged into the waters to offer aid, as Sheriff Balzer explained.
Tragically, none of them emerged from the river alive.
Help was swiftly summoned when a motorist spotted a “clearly distraught” young child running alongside a nearby road at approximately 9 p.m. This concerned observation prompted the Good Samaritan to dial 911, leading authorities to the grim scene.
The terrified child said that his “family was in the river,” cops said.
Two women were then pulled from the river and taken to nearby hospitals, where they were pronounced dead.
The bodies of three men were recovered later on Monday from the river in Powell, north of Columbus, according to Tracy Whited, a spokesperson for the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office. It’s unclear where the trio were located.
Two sets of parents were among the five killed in the chaos, the sheriff added.
Two young children under the age of 10 who were with the group have since been placed in family services, Balzer said.
Authorities have not yet publicly identified the five people who drowned. The exact circumstances around their deaths remain unclear.
The river was running high and fast, flowing at a rate of 350 cubic feet per second on Sunday, according to data from a US Geological Survey water gauge at the nearby dam. The number is more than double the average rate.
Balzer urged people to ensure they have the proper safety devices and are confident in their swimming abilities before going into the water.
“Know your skill level before you get in the water. Are you a confident swimmer?” Balzer said. “Make sure you have other people around in case something goes wrong to notify someone.”
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