Honduran officials confirmed four of the five people who drowned in the Scioto River in Powell, Ohio, were two married Honduran couples: Miguel Ángel Guerra (33) and Carmen Idalia Lara Ferrera (33), and José Mario Pineda (33) and Marina Suyapa Regalado Miranda (29). The group had been fishing when one adult began struggling; multiple people entered the water attempting rescues and were overcome. Two women were pulled from the river and pronounced dead Sunday night; three men’s bodies were recovered the next day. Two children under 10 survived and are now in the care of family services while Honduran and U.S. officials coordinate repatriation and support.
Four of Five Drowning Victims in Ohio River Identified as Two Married Honduran Couples
WSYX - PHOTO: Police are seen on the Scioto River in Delaware County, Ohio, July 20, 2026.
Honduran officials confirmed to ABC News that four of the five people who died in a mass drowning on the Scioto River in Powell, Ohio, were two married couples from Honduras. The tragedy left two young children without parents and prompted cooperation between Honduran and U.S. authorities.
The Honduran president's office and the foreign ministry identified the four victims as married couple Miguel Ángel Guerra, 33, and Carmen Idalia Lara Ferrera, 33, and married couple José Mario Pineda, 33, and Marina Suyapa Regalado Miranda, 29. The name of the fifth person who died has not been released.
Delaware County Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer said the group had been fishing Sunday evening on the Scioto River north of Columbus when one adult entered the water and began struggling. According to the sheriff, two people went in to help and then got into difficulty themselves. Additional attempts to rescue them resulted in multiple people being overcome; Balzer described the incident as a "tragedy."
First responders recovered two women from the river Sunday night and transported them to area hospitals, where they were pronounced dead. The bodies of three men were recovered the following day, the sheriff's office said. One of the deceased is believed to be the person who initially began struggling in the water.
Audio of 911 calls obtained by ABC News captured witnesses on scene. One caller said, "There was a little baby. I think it was like a boy. ... He was like screaming, like crying — like, 'Mama, mama!'" Another caller told dispatchers, "We're right here on the riverbank, and we think we see a floating body."
Two children under the age of 10 who were with the group were found on shore and have been placed in the care of family services. Honduran authorities said their foreign ministry is coordinating with U.S. officials to repatriate the bodies and provide support to the surviving children.
Local authorities continue to investigate the sequence of events and the circumstances that led to the drownings. The sheriff's office and Honduran diplomatic representatives are working together to assist the families and finalize next steps.
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