Teen Drowns in Cancun Lagoon After Skipping School With Friends

Cancun, Quintana Roo — A 14-year-old boy drowned Monday afternoon in a lagoon in Cancun after skipping school with classmates, authorities said.

The teenager, identified as Heber, left the Escuela Secundaria Técnica 25 without permission during school hours along with several other students, according to initial reports. The group walked to Laguna San Jose, located behind the school on Avenida José López Portillo, after learning of the site. They entered through a green area, bypassing the main entrance.

After several minutes in the water, three of the boys managed to get out, but Heber did not resurface and was reported missing.

Police officers arrived at the scene and interviewed the three companions, who said all four entered the water and that Heber, for reasons still unclear, went deeper into the lagoon until he disappeared from the surface.

Rescue personnel conducted an intensive search, but operations were hampered by poor visibility in the water. Rescuers used specialized equipment for several hours in an attempt to locate the boy’s body, while family members remained at the scene monitoring the efforts.

As of Tuesday morning, the body had not been found. Authorities and rescue teams will continue the operation. If the body is located, the State Prosecutor’s Office will be notified to carry out the corresponding procedures.

Laguna San Jose, also known as ABC, has been the site of previous drowning incidents. Residents say the area was formerly a quarry, with depths reaching between 10 and 12 meters (33 to 39 feet). The bottom is covered in mud, trash, and currents that make it difficult to surface.