California authorities identified two Bay Area residents to be the victims of a pair of drownings at a swimming hole in the state that is popular to many people.
Officials identified the two victims as 20-year-old Benedict Rozario from Pittsburg and 25-year-old Rinoel Villena from Daly City. They said the two men drowned at God’s Bath swimming hole on the Clavey River West of Yosemite on Friday.
Drowning
“He had many plans for his future. He was an adventurous person, willing to try everything, unfortunately, it lead him to his tragedy. Although he was taken from us too soon by doing what he loved the most, being in the water, he lived his life to the fullest and made the best out of every situation,” Rozario’s family said on a GoFundMe page.
Initially, the sheriff’s office reported there were three victims who died at the famous swimming hole. However, they later revised the report, arguing the confusion was brought about by poor cell service in the region.
The God’s Bath swimming hole is a popular local attraction that sports clear, cool waters and cliffs perfect for jumping. In recent years, more and more residents have visited the area after seeing pictures and videos of the swimming hole on social media platforms, the San Francisco Gate reported.
“As the weather gets hot and rivers run fast, we want to remind you that rivers are inherently dangerous places to recreate. The water can be high, swift, and cold as mountain snowpack melts, making staying in control and hypothermia real risks. Logs and rocks, both visible and hidden, pose navigation hazards. The cold fast water can quickly incapacitate even the best swimmers and experienced outdoors people,” an Instagram post by the Tuolumne County Fire Department said.
