USA20 July, 20262 min read
Five Die After Group Tries to Rescue Struggling Swimmer in Scioto River, Powell
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Five people died after several adults entered the Scioto River to help a swimmer. A motorist spotted a frightened child and alerted authorities.
Scioto River rescue turns fatal
Five people died after several members of a group tried to rescue a struggling swimmer in the Scioto River in Powell, a Columbus suburb, Delaware County Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer said at a news conference Monday. The incident began Sunday evening when the group gathered along the Scioto River in Powell and one person went into the river to go swimming, and Balzer said, "And that's when the tragedy started to occur." Rescue crews searching the water later Sunday found two women who were pronounced dead at a hospital, and Balzer said the bodies of three men were found in the river on Monday.
A motorist called 911 after spotting a frightened child with the group running along a nearby road to seek help, and Balzer said the child’s presence prompted the call. Authorities said two children under age 10 were placed in the care of family services, including the child who ran for help, as officials worked on notifying relatives of the victims.
Calls, identities, and next steps
Delaware County Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer said the child told the motorist that his family was "in the river," and the driver called 911 to alert law enforcement.
Fox 26 reported that five bodies were pulled from the Scioto River in Ohio since late Sunday night, and that two women died at local hospitals after they were pulled from the river.
Fox 26 also said none of the five victims has been identified, while the Associated Press reported authorities were working on notifying relatives of the victims.
Balzer said it appeared that two sets of parents, two children, and others were at the Scioto Fishing Area along Riverside Drive, just north of the Columbus Zoo, after 9 p.m. Sunday.
Tracy Whited, a spokesperson for the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, confirmed that the bodies of three men were recovered from the river on Monday, as the search and rescue operation continued into the following day.
Safety warnings and conditions
The Associated Press said the river was running high and fast on Sunday, according to data from a U.S. Geological Survey water gauge at the nearby dam.
That gauge data showed the water was flowing at a rate of about 350 cubic feet (10 cubic meters) per second on Sunday, which the Associated Press said was more than a fourfold increase over a three-day span.
Balzer urged people who gather near water to take precautions, and he said, "Know your skill level before you get in the water. Are you a confident swimmer?"
Balzer also told the public, "Make sure you have other people around in case something goes wrong to notify someone," as authorities continued investigating the incident.
The tragedy occurred two days after five people were killed in southern Utah after a flash flood swept through canyons during a hiking excursion, the Associated Press said.