Two married couples from Honduras were among five adults who drowned in an Ohio river while fishing, authorities have confirmed. The incident occurred Sunday when a group of five adults, including the two couples and an adult friend, were fishing in the Scioto River.
According to Delaware County Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer, one adult began struggling in the water, prompting others to attempt a rescue. All five individuals were subsequently swept away and drowned. The bodies of the two women were recovered Sunday, and the three men's bodies were found Monday.
Honduran authorities confirmed Tuesday that four of the five victims were citizens of Honduras: Jose Mario Pineda Dias, 33, and his wife Marina Suyapa Regalado, 28, along with another married couple whose names have not been released. The identity of the fifth adult victim is also still pending.
Flabia Zamora, director of consular affairs at the Honduran Foreign Ministry, stated that her government is working with U.S. authorities to facilitate the repatriation of the bodies, a process expected to take at least a month after all victims are identified.
The two orphaned children of Dias and Regalado, aged 8 and 10, are currently under the care of the state of Ohio. Arrangements are being made to reunite them with relatives in Honduras. A GoFundMe campaign has been initiated by Brenda Raya, who identified herself as a relative, to cover funeral, transportation, and childcare expenses for the children.
The drownings took place at the O’Shaughnessy Reservoir, an area managed by the city of Columbus. The city's Recreation and Parks Department prohibits activities such as Jet Skiing, tubing, and swimming in its reservoirs. Officials from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources cautioned that rivers can appear calm on the surface but possess strong currents and variable depths, posing significant drowning risks.