A rescue attempt in an Ohio river turned deadly over the weekend, leaving five people dead after several members of a group tried to help a swimmer in distress, authorities said Monday.
The group had been spending Sunday evening along the Scioto River in Powell, a suburb of Columbus, when one person entered the water to swim.
“And that’s when the tragedy started to occur,” Delaware County Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer said during a Monday news conference, explaining that others soon rushed into the river in an effort to save the struggling swimmer.
“I understand that one person got in the river, was struggling in the water. Two people went in to try to save them,” Balzer said. When those rescuers also began having trouble, he said, “Now we have two additional people go in the water.”
Officials stand at a staging area following an operation to recover several people who died while trying to rescue someone from the Scioto River in Powell, Ohio, a Columbus suburb, on Monday, July 20, 2026. (Patrick Aftoora-Orsagos/AP)
Around 9 p.m., a “distraught” child who was with the group ran onto a nearby road, where a passing driver noticed the child and called 911. The child told authorities that his family was in the river, Balzer said.
Emergency crews responded to the scene and found two women, both of whom were later pronounced dead at a hospital, according to Balzer.
On Monday, search teams recovered the bodies of three men from the Scioto River, Delaware County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Tracy Whited told The Associated Press. Officials have not yet released the names of the victims.
No boat was at the scene and it was unclear if alcohol played a factor in the tragedy, the sheriff said.
A boat sits moored on the Scioto River near Powell, Ohio, where multiple people died after several went into the water to help another person who was struggling to swim Monday. (Jay LaPrete/AP)
Two children under the age of 10 that were part of the group have been placed in the care of family services, said Balzer.
The sheriff urged the public to have safety devices like life vests on hand when gathering near bodies of water.
The 230-mile Scioto River is a popular area for locals and boasts fish populations of bass, saugeye, catfish, and carp, according to publiclands.com.
A section of the Scioto River shore is seen in Powell, Ohio. (Patrick Aftoora-Orsagos/AP)
The deaths happened days after five family members were killed in Utah after a flash flood swept through the region.
