A nine-year-old boy is presumed to have drowned after he fell through the ice on Lake Erie on Saturday afternoon, Ontario Provincial Police say.

Haldimand County OPP said they were called to the area of Peacock Point, approximately 50 km south of Hamilton, at around 4:30 p.m.

Const. Rodney LeClair said three youths, two boys and a girl, were on the ice off the shoreline when the boys fell into the water.

LeClair said one of the boys was rescued while the nine-year-old boy did not resurface.

The search for the victim turned into a recovery mission Saturday night.

OPP said recovery efforts will continue on Sunday morning.