Two of five drowning victims identified after rushing into Ohio river to help struggling swimmer

Published: 02:30, 22 July 2026 | Updated: 02:52, 22 July 2026 Two of the five people who were killed after they rushed into an Ohio river to help a struggling swimmer have been identified as a married couple from Honduras. Jose Mario Pineda Dias, 33, and Marina Suyada Regalado, 28, drowned in the Scioto River in Powell on Sunday after one person in their group went for a swim and got into trouble, the Associated Press reports. The couple are also believed to be the parents of two young children, ages six and seven, who were present during the horrific family tragedy. Officials have previously said members of their group had been fishing nearby when the swimmer began to struggle in the river. They then raced into the water to help the swimmer, but also wound up getting stuck.  'That's when the tragedy started to occur. I understand that one person got in the river, was struggling in the water. Two people went in to try to save them,' Delaware County Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer.  'Those people started struggling in the river, Now we have two additional people go in the water.' As the horrific ordeal unfolded, a 'clearly distraught,' child ran along State Route 257 and told a driver that his 'family was in the river,' according to Balzer. Three men and two women died after attempting to rescue a person in their party that began to drown on Sunday, officials said Officials have previously said that a group had been fishing nearby when the swimmer began to struggle in the river 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 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.  '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.'  The children are now in the care of Delaware County Job and Family Services, the sheriff's office said. 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. 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 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  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.  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.