Five adults, including two sets of parents, died Sunday night in the Scioto River in Ohio while attempting to rescue a swimmer. The group, which also included two children, had been out fishing when the incident occurred.
Authorities were alerted to the situation around 9 p.m. after a motorist observed a distressed child running along a nearby road and called 911. The child informed responders that their family was in the river.
According to Delaware County Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer, the tragedy began when one adult went into the water and started struggling. Two other adults entered the river in an attempt to provide aid, but they also began to struggle. A fourth and fifth adult then entered the water, leading to all five ultimately drowning.
Emergency services recovered two women from the river on Sunday night. They were transported to local hospitals and pronounced dead. The bodies of three men were recovered on Monday morning in Powell, north of Columbus.
The identities of the five deceased have not yet been publicly released. Two young children who were present have been placed with family services.
The Scioto River was flowing at approximately 350 cubic feet per second on Sunday, more than double its average rate, according to data from a U.S. Geological Survey water gauge. Sheriff Balzer advised individuals to assess their swimming capabilities and ensure adequate safety precautions, including having others present to notify in case of an emergency, before entering the water.