Desperate attempt to rescue swimmer from Ohio river ends in tragedy with five dead as young child flags down car to raise alarm

Published: 02:38, 21 July 2026 | Updated: 02:41, 21 July 2026 A child cried for help after five adults went missing in a fast-flowing Ohio river during a rescue attempt to help a person drowning. The group was enjoying a Sunday along the Scioto River in Powell when one person decided to swim and began to struggle, Delaware County Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer said. Others with the group were fishing and raced into the water in an effort to help the struggling swimmer, but they quickly became caught in the current as well.  'It's not unusual for one person to be struggling in the water,' said Sheriff Balzer. 'Other people attempt to save them, yet they don't have the skills to do that, so we end up with multiple deaths.'  A boy ran along State Route 257 and told a driver that his family was struggling to swim in the river and needed help, according to Balzer. The motorist quickly called 911. Several other calls were made to emergency services around 9.25pm on the night of the tragedy. The Sheriff said that two women were later pulled from the water and tragically pronounced dead at a hospital. The bodies of three men were found on Monday.  Three men and two women died after attempting to rescue a person in their party that began to drown, said officials  Delaware County Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer said at a news conference that boy running along state Route 257 was spotted by a driver who told him that his family was in the river There were two young children under the age of 10 at the scene. It was not immediately clear if their parents were among those found in the river.  The sheriff's office said the kids are in the care of Delaware County Job and Family Services. Water conditions of the river on Sunday were high and fast, according to data from a US Geological Survey water gauge at the nearby dam. The river was flowing at a rate of about 350 cubic feet per second, which is more than double the average rate. Balzer warned swimmers to take safety precautions, especially during the summer months. 'Anytime you're near water, you need to be confident in your swimming ability or have safety devices available. There's no shame in wearing a life jacket. It saves lives every day,' he said. The tragedy comes shortly after a 23-year-old woman lost her mother, stepdad, and three brothers in treacherous flash floods during a family hike in Utah. The Sheriff said that two women were later found but were pronounced dead at a hospital. The bodies of three men were found on Monday  Spencer and Katrina Long, both 44, and their three sons, Thayne, 13, Gage, 12, and Reid, were swept away after 'heavy rain' came down on Friday near the Sunglow campground while they went hiking and canyoneering, the Wayne County Sheriff's Office said. Deputies were first called to the campground that night after the body of a young man was found in the flood wash. Spencer, a decorated Provo Fire Captain, and two of his sons, were located that night. His wife and their other son were discovered the following morning.