Tragic River Drowning Claims Lives of Two Honduran Couples and Their Friend in Ohio

It was supposed to be a simple, sunny outing. After weeks of sweltering heat, 33‑year‑old Jose Mario Pineda Dias and his 28‑year‑old wife, Marina Suyapa Regalado, loaded their two kids into a small boat and headed to the Scioto River for a bit of fishing. They weren’t alone – a second Honduran couple and an adult friend joined them, hoping for a relaxed afternoon on the water.

A passing boater managed to snap a photo that now looks haunting in hindsight: the group, waist‑deep in the river, standing around a large log with fishing poles in hand. The surface seemed calm, but U.S. Geological Survey data told a different story – the river was running high and fast.

What happened next is still being pieced together. According to Delaware County Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer, one of the adults began struggling to stay afloat. Several others jumped in to help, but the current proved too strong. All five adults were swept under the water.

The two women’s bodies were recovered on Sunday, while the three men were found the following day. Honduran officials later confirmed that four of the five victims were Honduran citizens – Dias, Regalado and the other married couple, whose names have not been released. The fifth adult remains unidentified.

“We are working closely with U.S. authorities to identify the victims and arrange for their repatriation,” said Flabia Zamora, director of consular affairs at Honduras’s Foreign Ministry. She added that once identification is complete, the process of returning the bodies could take at least a month.

Meanwhile, the children – aged eight and ten – have been placed in state care. Their mother’s frantic reaction was captured by a passerby who called 911: a little boy, wrapped only in a towel, emerged from the riverbank screaming, “Mama! Mama!” He was terrified, teetering close to the busy road that runs alongside the Scioto’s eastern bank.

Relatives have sprung into action. Brenda Raya, who describes herself as a family relative, launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover funeral costs, transportation of the bodies back to Honduras, and childcare for the orphaned kids. “The emotional and financial burden is overwhelming,” she wrote, “and we want to honor the memory of our loved ones while providing for the children left behind.”

The tragedy unfolded along the O’Shaughnessy Reservoir, a city‑owned stretch of the river with 18 miles of shoreline. The Columbus Recreation and Parks Department notes that activities such as jet‑skiing, tubing, and swimming are prohibited there, yet many still wade in the water.

Lt. Heather Byers of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources warned that rivers can be deceptively calm. “Even when the surface looks still, you can be swept away in slow‑moving water,” she said. “You never know where the bottom slopes or if a hidden rock or algae will catch you.”

Authorities are urging anyone considering a river outing to check current conditions, stay within marked areas, and never underestimate the power of even seemingly gentle water.