Sheriff's deputies in boats and divers searched a water-filled pit at an old strip mine near Lafferty, Ohio Monday night as they looked for a 17-year-old boy reported missing by his friends.

Belmont County Sheriff Fred Thompson told NEWS9 the boy and his friends were swimming in the pit when the missing boy began to get tired.

Thompson said the boy's friends attempted to pull him back to the surface, but when the boy began to drag his friends under, they released him and swam to the shore to call for help.

The boy was reported missing just after 6:00pm and divers were still looking for him at 10:00pm.

"If someone had to swim in this heat, they need to go to a swimming pool," Thompson said. "These old strip pits are treacherous."

Sheriff's deputies have not released the name of the missing teen.

Watch NEWS9 Sunrise for the latest on this developing story.

Eric Minor, NEWS9