Recovery efforts underway after drowning at Milford quarry

MILFORD, Mass. — Recovery efforts are underway for a missing swimmer at Shadowbrook Quarry in Milford. The individual is presumed to have drowned, according to the fire chief.

The Milford Fire Department was first called for reports of a swimmer in distress Saturday afternoon. When crews arrived on scene, the individual was already underwater.

Fire crews and dive teams searched for hours Saturday and resumed recovery efforts around 8:30 Sunday morning.

Authorities said they found a group of teenagers at the scene Saturday; however, they could not confirm the identity of the individual they were searching for.

The search comes just days after an 18-year-old fell 12 feet at the quarry, prompting Milford police to again urge the public to avoid the area for recreation.

“They need to stay out of the water; they need to stay off the cliffs,” Milford Fire Chief Mark Nelson said Sunday. “There are just too many injuries that are occurring and too many fatalities.”

“While we’re thankful this incident did not have an even more tragic outcome, it serves as an important reminder that the Quarries are not a safe place for recreation. We continue to strongly discourage anyone from entering the property or swimming in the quarries,” said Police Chief Robert Tusino in a statement earlier this week.

“The steep rock faces, unstable terrain, and limited access for emergency responders create an extremely dangerous environment where a single misstep can have life-altering consequences for civilians and responders.”

Chief Nelson said the quarry is difficult to access, describing the area in and around the water as “treacherous”.

“There are shelves, there are ledges, there are large trees, and a lot of obstacles to work around,” Nelson said. “It’s unsafe, it’s dangerous.”

In 2014, the body of an 18-year-old was recovered from the quarry after he and a group of friends from Rhode Island were jumping from the rocks above into the water.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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