COIMBATORE: A 15-year-old boy drowned while bathing in a water-filled stone quarry at Madukkarai on the outskirts of Coimbatore on Monday.

The victim, A Sivasankaran of JJ Nagar, had gone to the quarry at Uppuparai along with three friends on Monday afternoon. According to police, two of the boys stayed back on the shore as they did not know how to swim, while Sivasankaran and another friend entered the water.

In a playful challenge, the two swam towards a distant rock in the quarry pit, competing to touch it and return. After reaching the rock and attempting to swim back, Sivasankaran suddenly slipped into deeper waters and drowned.

On receiving information, personnel from the Madukkarai police station and a team from the Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services rushed to the spot and launched a search operation. However, the body could not be located despite efforts that continued late into the night.

The search resumed on Tuesday morning, with rescue personnel intensifying operations in the deep quarry waters. The boy’s body was recovered around noon and handed over for further procedures. Police have registered a case and are conducting further inquiries into the incident.