Body of Missing Teenager Found in Cancun Lagoon

Cancun, Quintana Roo — The body of a teenager who disappeared while swimming in a lagoon on the outskirts of Cancun was recovered Tuesday afternoon, after nearly 24 hours of intensive search efforts.

Divers from Civil Protection and the fire department’s aquatic rescue team located the body minutes before 4 p.m. in the deeper sections of Laguna ABC, an artificial body of water near the El Pedregal neighborhood.

The search, which resumed at 7 a.m., employed aerial and underwater drones to navigate the lagoon’s muddy, debris-filled bottom.

The teenager was reported missing Monday afternoon after he went to the lagoon with other middle school students. Witnesses said the group entered the water to swim, but one of them failed to resurface, prompting an immediate emergency response.

After the body was recovered, investigators from the State Prosecutor’s Office arrived to process the scene. The remains were taken to the forensic medical service for an autopsy and eventual release to the family.

Authorities reiterated warnings against swimming in such bodies of water, which are often former quarries with depths exceeding 10 meters and hazardous conditions for swimmers.