A 15-year-old boy died Friday after going underwater at Belle Fourche Reservoir.
The Butte County Sheriff’s Office said dispatch received a call about 2:15 p.m. reporting a swimmer in distress at the Tequila Beach area. Witnesses said the teen had been on a paddleboard in windy, rough conditions when he lost hold of the board and went under.
Bystanders attempted to locate him but were unsuccessful.
Search crews from South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks and the Belle Fourche Fire Department responded, launching boats and conducting water, air and ground searches. The paddleboard was found about an hour later.
The Pennington County Search and Rescue Dive Team later joined the effort, focusing on the area where the teen was last seen. His body was recovered around 7:50 p.m.
Multiple agencies assisted in the response. The incident remains under investigation.
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