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Five friends drown in Ohio River; passerby captured final moments
🇬🇷 Greece /Disasters & Emergencies

Five friends drown in Ohio River; passerby captured final moments

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Five friends, believed to be two couples and a friend, drowned in the Ohio River after one entered the water and others attempted to rescue him.
  • A passerby captured a photo of the group fishing shortly before the tragedy, noting the area is known for its sudden depth changes.
  • Authorities identified the victims, four of whom were Honduran nationals, and confirmed three children were orphaned by the incident.

A tragic incident on the Ohio River has claimed the lives of five friends, leaving three children orphaned. The group, consisting of two couples and a friend, drowned after one individual entered the water and subsequently struggled, prompting the others to attempt a rescue.

I believe the photo I took might have been their last while they were still alive.

— Marcus L. MartinThe witness's reflection on capturing the final moments of the victims before the drowning.

A witness, Marcus L. Martin, who frequently travels the river by boat, may have captured the group's final moments. He took a photograph of the five adults fishing in the Scioto River, with the water reaching waist-deep. Martin expressed concern, recalling that the area is known for its dangerous, sudden drop-offs.

Martin, a Baptist church pastor, hesitated to warn the group, fearing his boat's movement might create a dangerous wake. He has since been haunted by the decision, unable to sleep since learning of the drowning. The tragedy unfolded when the first person entered the water, followed by the others in a desperate attempt to save them.

I remember they taught me that that spot was dangerous because there are steep slopes and the river's depth suddenly increases.

— Marcus L. MartinExplaining the dangerous conditions of the river where the incident occurred.

Authorities arrived at the scene after a distressed child ran into the road and called 911. Rescuers recovered two women who later died in hospital, while the bodies of the three men were found the following day. Officials confirmed that four of the five victims were citizens of Honduras. The identified couples were 33-year-old Jose Mario Pineda Diaz and his 28-year-old wife, Marina Suyapa Regalado.

I don't know what it was that I felt. I just said I had to take this photo.

— Marcus L. MartinDescribing his intuition to photograph the group before the tragedy.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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