Deadwood, CA…The two men who tragically perished over the weekend have been identified as 25-year-old Rinoel Villena of Daly City and 20-year-old Benedict Rozario of Pittsburg. The two men were part of a larger group who visited Gods Bath. Mr. Villena, Mr. Rozario, and a third person jumped into the water. Due to the swift moving current and whirlpool, Mr. Villena and Mr. Rozario were overtaken and unable to surface. The third person was luckily able to get free from the current and surface down stream.

We are saddened by this tragic event and our hearts go out to the family and friends of Mr. Villena and Mr. Rozario.

Earlier Updates are Below
**UPDATE**
Divers and SAR were able to recover the second drowned victim.
We are saddened by this event and our hearts go to the victims’ family and friends.
Details related to the incident will be released at a later date. Thank you to everyone who provided comforting, thoughtful, and supportive comments.
**UPDATE**
After talking with witnesses and family members on scene, we have determined that two men have drowned. One victim has been recovered. (Search and Rescue) SAR and dive teams are working to recover the second man. We want to extend our sincere condolences to the victims’ loved ones.
**UPDATE 8:55 pm**
Due to nightfall and visibility issues, Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue and Dive Team have suspended search operations until tomorrow.
**UPDATE 6:30 pm**
A second victim has been recovered from the water and has unfortunately been pronounced deceased. Due to communication issues related to the remote location, a gender of the second victim has not been relayed.
Dive teams and Search and Rescue is actively working to retrieve the third victim who is still in the water. The third victims condition is unknown at this time.
**HAPPENING NOW!**
Our office is actively responding to a reported drowning at Gods Bath swimming hole in the Tuolumne River Canyon.
When Fire, Medics, and Deputies arrived on scene, they were able to confirm three drowning victims.
One victim, an unknown aged female, was retrieved from the water and pronounced deceased.
Two other victims remain in the water, their conditions unknown.
Tuolumne County SAR is responding for a swift water rescue along with the Tuolumne County Dive Team and a CHP Helicopter.
We will update once more information becomes available.