Five dead in Ohio river after jumping in to help a swimmer, child ran for help
Two women and three men died in the Scioto River in Powell, Ohio, after trying to rescue a struggling swimmer. A scared child running along a road prompted a 911 call on Sunday, July 19, 2026.
A recreational swimmer in trouble in the Scioto River triggered a chain of drownings that left five people dead over two days in Powell, a suburb of Columbus, Ohio. Those who entered the water to help soon found themselves in danger, according to officials.
What happened on the river
On Sunday, July 19, one person began struggling to stay afloat in the Scioto. Bystanders jumped in to assist, but the attempt to save the swimmer quickly turned into a wider emergency.
Osoby, które wskoczyły do wody, by udzielić pomocy, same znalazły się w niebezpieczeństwie.
The first alert came when a passing driver spotted a frightened child running along the roadside looking for help. That driver called 911 and rescue crews were dispatched immediately.
- A swimmer struggles in the Scioto River; bystanders jump in to help but themselves are endangered.
- A passing driver calls 911 after spotting a scared child running along the road.
- Crews recover two women from the water; both are later pronounced dead at a hospital.
- Search continues; the bodies of three men are located in the river.
Search and recovery
Crews recovered two women from the water on Sunday. Both were taken to a hospital, where they were pronounced dead. The search continued the next day, and on Monday, July 20, the bodies of three men were located in the river. In total the incident claimed five lives. Local authorities have not released the ages of the victims or details of their relationships.
River conditions
Data from the U.S. Geological Survey, recorded at a nearby dam, highlighted dangerous conditions on the Sunday. The water level was high and the current was unusually fast. The flow was measured at about 10 cubic meters per second, which is more than four times the flow recorded three days earlier and more than double the average flow at that location.
Official response
Delaware County Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer briefed reporters on the chain of events. He confirmed that the motorist who called 911 had seen the child running along the road and that rescue teams worked from Sunday into Monday to search the river. No further details about the original swimmer were released.
