Five people died in the Scioto River in Pickaway County, Ohio, on Sunday after attempting to rescue a struggling swimmer. According to Pickaway County Sheriff Matthew Hafey, the incident began when one person experienced difficulty while swimming in the river.
Witnesses and officials reported that several others entered the water in an effort to assist the individual. All five people involved subsequently drowned. Emergency responders recovered the bodies from the river later that day.
The identities of the deceased have not yet been released pending notification of next of kin. The Sheriff's Office has not reported the specific environmental conditions of the river at the time of the incident. An investigation into the deaths is ongoing.