POWELL, OH. (THECOUNT) — Four of the five victims killed in a tragic mass drowning along an Ohio river have been identified as two married couples from Honduras, leaving two young children orphaned, according to Honduran government officials.
The incident occurred Sunday evening at the Scioto River in Delaware County, located north of Columbus, Ohio.
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The victims identified by the Honduran president’s office and the Honduran foreign ministry are Miguel Ángel Guerra, 33, Carmen Idalia Lara Ferrera, 33, José Mario Pineda, 33, and Marina Suyapa Regalado Miranda, 29.
The identity of the fifth victim has not yet been released by authorities.
According to the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, the group had been fishing near the river when one of the adults entered the water to swim. Authorities believe that individual began struggling in the river, prompting two others to enter the water in an attempt to help.
When those rescuers also encountered difficulty, two additional adults entered the river in a final rescue attempt.
All five adults ultimately drowned in what Delaware County Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer described as a tragic chain of events.
Investigators believe one of the deceased was the individual who initially began struggling in the water.
Emergency dispatch recordings obtained by ABC News revealed the frightening moments that unfolded along the riverbank.
One 911 caller reported seeing a young child wrapped in a towel running near a nearby state highway while crying for his mother.
Another caller described observing what appeared to be a body floating in the river.
First responders recovered two women from the water Sunday night and transported them to local hospitals, where they were later pronounced dead.
The bodies of the remaining three victims were recovered from the Scioto River on Monday.
Authorities confirmed that two children under the age of 10 who were accompanying the group were not in the water during the incident and remained on shore.
The children survived the tragedy but were left without their parents following the drowning deaths.
They have since been placed in the care of family services while officials work to determine the next steps for their custody and care.
The Honduran foreign ministry announced it is coordinating with United States authorities to repatriate the victims’ bodies to Honduras and is providing assistance to the surviving children.
Officials in Honduras expressed their condolences to the victims’ families and pledged continued support throughout the repatriation process.
The Scioto River is a popular recreational destination in central Ohio, although authorities routinely caution swimmers and boaters about river currents and rapidly changing water conditions.
The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the fatal incident.
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