5 dead in attempt to save a struggling swimmer in Ohio river

An attempt to save a struggling swimmer in an Ohio river left five people dead over the weekend, authorities said Monday .

A group gathered Sunday evening at the Scioto River in Powell, a Columbus suburb, when one of them went into the water to go swimming.

"And that’s when the tragedy started to occur," Delaware County Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer said at a news conference Monday. Others then jumped into the river in an attempt to help the swimmer.

"I understand that one person got in the river, was struggling in the water. Two people went in to try to save them," Balzer said. Those people started struggling in the river, Now we have two additional people go in the water."

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At around 9 p.m., a "distraught" child with the group ran onto a nearby road and was spotted by a motorist who called 911. The child said his family was in the river, Balzer said.

First responders arrived an...