After days of searching, authorities have located the body of a missing pilot in the Kawartha Lakes region of Ontario. The Ontario Provincial Police announced that the pilot was found deceased when search teams located his small aircraft submerged in Wolfe Lake in Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Provincial Park, near Peterborough.
According to the OPP’s statement on Wednesday, debris from the aircraft was recovered on Monday, with the plane itself being found underwater on Tuesday. The pilot, identified as David, 73, was reported missing after he failed to return to Oshawa Executive Airport on Friday morning. Departing at 8:30 a.m., he was expected back by 9:30 a.m. His last known location was in the Balsam Lake area near Kirkfield.
Family members reported the pilot missing when he did not return on time. The search for the pilot involved multiple agencies, including the Trenton Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, the OPP, and the City of Kawartha Lakes detachment, alongside other organizations.
Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources played a crucial role in locating the aircraft and the pilot. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is now investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash, with a team of investigators dispatched to Minden Hills, Ont., where the accident occurred.
The OPP expressed condolences to the pilot’s family and appreciated the public’s assistance during the search effort. The pilot, known for flying in the southern Kawartha Lakes area and north of Lake Scugog, was described as an experienced aviator by Durham police.
