Five Honduran nationals drown in Ohio river tragedy during family fishing trip

Five Honduran nationals drown in Ohio river tragedy during family fishing trip

Five Honduran nationals drowned in the Scioto River in Powell, Ohio, on Sunday after a family fishing outing turned tragic when rescue attempts spiraled into multiple fatalities.

Jose Mario Pineda Dias, 33, and his wife Marina Suyapa Regalado, 28, were among the victims, along with another married couple and an adult friend. The group had taken Pineda Dias and Regalado's two children, ages 8 and 10, for what appeared to be a leisurely day of fishing.

A photograph captured by a passing boater shows the group standing approximately thigh-deep in the water near a large log, fishing poles in hand. Despite the calm appearance of the river's surface, U.S. Geological Survey data indicated the Scioto was running high and fast that day.

Rescue attempt turns fatal

Delaware County Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer said one adult began struggling in the water, prompting several others to enter the river in an attempt to help. All five adults were swept under by the current.

The incident unfolded along the O'Shaughnessy Reservoir, a 912-acre body of water created in 1925 when the city of Columbus dammed the Scioto River to provide a water source for the city. While much of the reservoir is 20 feet deep or less, depths near the dam exceed 40 feet.

One of the children fled the riverbank in panic, ascending to the roadway wrapped only in a towel. A passing driver who called 911 reported the boy was screaming for his mother and nearly ran onto the multilane road running along the river's eastern banks.

Multiple agencies responded to the emergency, including Columbus police, Delaware County Fire Department, Liberty Township Fire Marshal, Columbus helicopter units, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The two-hour search on Sunday evening deployed thermal imaging drones and six boats. The two women's bodies were recovered Sunday, while the three men's bodies were found Monday.

River dangers often underestimated

Lt. Heather Byers of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources emphasized that rivers can be deceptively dangerous even when they appear calm. Water that seems to move slowly on the surface can still sweep people away, she said, and unseen depth changes mean a person can go from standing in 2 to 3 feet of water to suddenly being in 4 or 5 feet without warning.

Rivers account for approximately 27 percent of all drowning incidents in the United States, making them one of the most common locations for fatal drownings. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 4,000 to 4,500 people die from unintentional drowning in the United States each year, representing an average of 11 drowning deaths per day. Drowning deaths have climbed from about 4,070 in 2019 to roughly 4,500 annually in 2020-2022, marking the first sustained increase in decades.

Sheriff Balzer noted that multiple drowning deaths are not uncommon when untrained individuals attempt water rescues. Safety experts recommend following the "Reach, Throw, Don't Go" rule rather than jumping in to help a struggling swimmer.

Repatriation process underway

Flabia Zamora, director of consular affairs at the Honduran Foreign Ministry, confirmed Tuesday that four of the five adults were Honduran citizens. The fifth adult has yet to be identified.

Zamora told reporters that authorities are working with U.S. officials to repatriate the bodies to Honduras. Once all victims have been identified, Honduras will begin the repatriation process, which typically takes one to two weeks and costs between $4,500 and $7,000 per person for embalming, preparation, documentation, and air shipment.

The two orphaned children are currently in the care of Ohio state authorities, with arrangements being made to reunite them with relatives in Honduras. More than 1.5 million Hondurans live in the United States, according to the 2020 census, and 14 Honduran consulates across the country provide services including repatriation assistance.

A relative, Brenda Raya, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover funeral and transportation costs as well as childcare expenses for the two children.

"The emotional and financial burden is overwhelming, and we want to honour the memory of our loved ones while providing for the children left behind,"

she wrote.

The O'Shaughnessy Reservoir and its 18 miles of shoreline are owned by the city of Columbus. According to the city's Recreation and Parks Department, Jet Skis, tubing, and swimming are not permitted in any Columbus reservoir.