Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleJasmine FernándezMonday 20 July 2026 22:29 BSTThe emergency was first reported by a passing motorist who called 911 after noticing a child running along a nearby road (AP Photo/Patrick Aftoora-Orsagos)Five people drowned in Ohio's Scioto River after a rescue attempt went wrong, following an initial swimmer's distress.The emergency was discovered when a passing motorist called 911 after spotting a distressed 10-year-old child running along a nearby road.According to Delaware County Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer, multiple individuals entered the water to assist a struggling swimmer but also became distressed.Search and rescue operations on Sunday recovered two women from the river, who were pronounced dead at a local hospital.The bodies of three men were subsequently recovered from the river on Monday, as confirmed by Delaware County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Tracy Whited.In fullFive people died while trying to rescue drowning swimmer on Ohio RiverMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in