Five adults, including two married couples from Honduras, drowned in the Scioto River on Sunday night while attempting to rescue a swimmer. Two young children are now orphaned and in the care of Ohio family services, with plans to reunite them with relatives in Honduras.
The tragedy unfolded when one man in the group, who was fishing along the O’Shaughnessy Reservoir, began to struggle in the water. Two others dove in to assist, followed by two more, according to Delaware County Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer. All five adults ultimately drowned.
Authorities responded after a motorist reported seeing a distressed child, wrapped only in a towel, running along a nearby road around 9 p.m. The child told officers his family was in the river.
Honduran authorities confirmed that four of the five victims were citizens of Honduras. The two orphaned children, aged 8 and 10, are currently under the care of Ohio family services. Arrangements are being made for their eventual return to relatives in Honduras.
Officials are working with U.S. authorities to repatriate the bodies of the deceased. This process is expected to take at least a month after all victims have been identified.
Records indicate the river was flowing at approximately 350 cubic feet per second on Sunday, significantly above its average rate, potentially contributing to the swiftness of the current. The second couple and the fifth adult victim have not yet been identified.