Drowning victim ID’d

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Emergency responders from the Berlin Township Fire Department bring a boat back to shore at Alum Creek Reservoir Wednesday afternoon.

Ayarkwa

The Delaware County Coroner’s Office has identified the man who drowned Wednesday at Alum Creek State Park as Kwaku Ayarkwa, 22, of Columbus.

Alum Creek State Park officials said Wednesday that Ayarkwa’s body was recovered in a cove to the east of Africa Road between Sherman Road and Cheshire Road.

Officials of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources said Thursday that the part of Alum Creek that Ayarkwa was found in is an area designated for fishing and boating only. Officials said swimming in that area is not permitted.

Emergency units were contacted at 2:41 p.m. and were dispatched to rescue a man submerged in the water at Alum Creek. Rescue boats had returned to the docks by 4:30 p.m.

Firefighters on the scene said the man had tried to swim across the Alum Creek Reservoir on the east side on Africa Road but couldn’t make it.

Squads from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Berlin Township Fire Department, Tri-Township Fire Department, Genoa Township Fire Department, Delaware County EMS and the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office were all on the scene in various capacities for a water rescue.

His name was not released until Friday after his next of kin was notified.

Many private boats were coming and going at the time and frequently stopped to ask what had happened. The rescue had little effect on the number of private boats in Alum Creek.

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