TUOLUMNE COUNTY, Calif. — The two men who tragically died over the weekend as they were swimming in God's Bath have been identified, the Tuolumne County Sheriff's Office said.
Rinoel Villena, 25, of Daly City, and Benedict Rozario, 20, of Pittsburg, drowned on Friday, May 14, after getting caught in a fast moving current.
The two men were reportedly part of a larger group who visited God's Bath. Villena, Rozario, and a third person jumped into the water and, due to the swift moving current and a whirlpool, Villena and Rozario were overtaken and unable to surface, according to the sheriff's department.
The third person was able to get free from the current and surfaced downstream.
"We are saddened by this tragic event and our hearts go out to the family and friends of Mr. Villena and Mr. Rozario," the sheriff's department said in a Facebook post.
Tuolomne County Sheriff's Deputy Nicco Sandelin told ABC10 on Saturday that it is common for people to drown in the Tuolumne County waterways during the spring and early summer months after the snow has melted. There is more water in the waterways than usual and it is colder. Swimmers also need to watch for the strong underwater currents.
"Even the most experienced swimmers can get caught off guard in those situations," Sandelin said.
It wasn't until Saturday afternoon that the Tuolumne County Search and Rescue Dive Team were able to find both men after hours of searching, during which time both were declared dead.
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