A missing pilot was tragically discovered deceased after his small aircraft was located underwater in the Kawartha Lakes area by search teams, according to the Ontario Provincial Police. The OPP announced in a press release that wreckage from the aircraft was recovered from Wolfe Lake in Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Provincial Park, situated northwest of Peterborough, Ontario, on Monday, with the aircraft itself being found submerged in the lake the following day.
The pilot, identified as David, aged 73, went missing after departing from Oshawa Executive Airport on Friday morning in a self-built aircraft. He was scheduled to return by 9:30 a.m. but never made it back. Family members reported him missing, stating that he was last seen in the Balsam Lake vicinity near Kirkfield.
Search efforts involved the Trenton Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, the OPP, and members of the City of Kawartha Lakes detachment, among other agencies. The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources also contributed to locating the plane and the pilot.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash. The TSB has dispatched a team of investigators to the Minden Hills area to probe the accident involving the privately registered small plane.
Durham police had identified the pilot solely by his first name and described him as an experienced aviator who frequently flew in the region south of Kawartha Lakes and north of Lake Scugog.
The OPP expressed their condolences to the pilot’s family and appreciated the public’s support and assistance during the search operation.