Five People Die in Ohio River Tragedy

Five individuals lost their lives in the Scioto River in Powell, Ohio, after attempting to aid a swimmer in distress, as reported by the authorities on Monday. The incident occurred on July 20, 2026, and the details were shared by Delaware County Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer during a news conference.

A witness driving by called 911 upon noticing a terrified child running down a nearby road, shouting for “mama,” according to Sheriff Balzer. The child, part of the group, was later placed in the care of family services alongside another child under the age of 10.

The group initially went fishing along the Scioto River on Sunday. However, one of them entered the water to swim, which led to the tragic events as others dove in to assist, only to struggle themselves. “And that’s when the tragedy started to occur,” Balzer stated.

Rescue teams dispatched on Sunday managed to locate two women from the river, who were declared dead at a hospital. On Monday, the bodies of three men were retrieved from the river, according to Tracy Whited, spokesperson for the Delaware County Sheriff’s Department.

The next steps involve informing the next of kin for each of the victims.

This tragedy unfolded only two days after another incident where a family of five perished in southern Utah due to flash floods while hiking in canyons.