MORBI: A 13-year-old boy hailing from Tamil Nadu drowned in a canal in Gujarat’s Morbi district on Thursday, while his elder brother who accompanied him into the water went missing, officials said.

The incident occurred at 11.28 am at the Dhrangadhra-Morbi branch canal, they said. The boys — aged 13 and 15 — were travelling to Gujarat with their truck driver father for their vacation.

On the way, they took a halt near the canal, Morbi’s Chief Fire Officer Jayesh Daki said. During the break, the boys jumped into the canal for a bath in the absence of their father, he said.

Fire teams from Morbi and Halvad recovered the body of the younger sibling, while a search operation is under way to trace his brother, Daki added.