Five die in Ohio river after attempted rescue of struggling swimmer

POWELL, Ohio (AP) – Five people lost their lives in an Ohio waterway after several members of a group entered the river to assist someone who was in trouble while swimming, officials reported Monday.

A driver dialled emergency services after noticing a scared youngster from the party fleeing along a road close by, Delaware County Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer told reporters at a Monday briefing.

Two minors younger than 10 are now with family services, Balzer confirmed, among them the youngster who sought help.

On Sunday the party had assembled by the Scioto River in Powell, a suburb of Columbus. One person entered the water to swim. “And that’s when the tragedy started to occur,” Balzer said, noting that those who then plunged in to assist soon ran into difficulty themselves.

Search teams combing the river Sunday recovered two women, who were declared dead at a hospital, according to Balzer. On Monday, three men’s bodies were recovered from the water, Delaware County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Tracy Whited said.

The incident came two days after a flash flood in southern Utah killed five members of one family while they were hiking through canyons.