Police audio captures frantic search for five people who drowned in Ohio river

POWELL, OHIO: Chilling police dispatch audio has revealed the frantic search for five family members who drowned in Ohio's Scioto River after a peaceful evening of fishing turned into a heartbreaking tragedy.

The incident unfolded on Sunday night, and authorities confirmed on Monday that all five victims had died, leaving behind two young children with no parents.

A 5-year-old's desperate plea for help led rescuers to the unfolding river tragedy

The emergency began when a passing driver spotted a frightened 5-year-old boy walking along a road near the Scioto River.

The child told the motorist that his "family was in the river," prompting a massive rescue operation.

According to Delaware County Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer, one adult entered the water to swim and began struggling.

Two others jumped in to help but also got into trouble. Two more adults then rushed into the river in a final rescue attempt.

None of the five adults made it back to shore.

Responders struggled to determine how many people were missing

As deputies arrived, dispatch audio captured the confusion at the scene.

"They had a 5-year-old walking out on along the road. … There's someone in the water there," a dispatcher said over the radio.

Officers quickly found two children, both under the age of 10, waiting on the riverbank.

"The bodies are in there. There are two young juveniles [on shore] - a young male and a young female. They don't have any parents," one officer said.

Another responder added, "We have some clothes and some shoes out in the water."

Authorities said a language barrier with the children initially made it difficult to determine how many people were in the river.

At one point, an officer radioed, "Chief, it sounds like we had eight people in the water - we got five out; three confirmed missing," while requesting more rescuers, a boat and lighting. Responders also asked for a Spanish speaker to help communicate with the children.

Search shifted from rescue to recovery

Two women were first pulled from the river, and rescuers immediately tried to save them.

"We got two victims in the raft at this time, we're trying to resuscitate," one responder said. Both women were taken to a hospital, where they were pronounced dead.

Search crews continued combing the river overnight, with one deputy reporting, "Boat 91 has a fourth shoe that is different from any previous found."

By Monday afternoon, authorities recovered the bodies of the remaining three victims, all men, and confirmed that two sets of parents were among those killed.

Two children survive as investigation continues

The two surviving children were placed in the care of family services.

When asked how they were coping, Balzer said, "I think they're OK, but they always say that, right?" He added that Delaware County has counseling and support programs available for them.

Authorities said there was no boat at the scene, and it remains unclear whether alcohol played a role. The victims' identities are being withheld until all relatives are notified.

Officials also noted the Scioto River was running unusually high and fast at the time of the tragedy.

Balzer urged people to know their swimming abilities before entering the water, saying, "Know your skill level before you get in the water. Are you a confident swimmer? Make sure you have other people around in case something goes wrong to notify someone."