A pilot who had been missing since last Friday was tragically discovered deceased after search teams located his small aircraft submerged in the waters of Wolfe Lake in the Kawartha Lakes region, as reported by the Ontario Provincial Police. The pilot, identified as David, 73 years old, failed to return to Oshawa Executive Airport on Friday morning after departing in a homemade aircraft at 8:30 a.m., with an expected return time of 9:30 a.m. The aircraft wreckage was recovered from the lake on Monday, with the plane itself found underwater on Tuesday.

Authorities confirmed the pilot’s fatality, and plans are underway to recover the aircraft. The pilot was reported missing by family members when he did not return as scheduled and was last seen in the Balsam Lake area near Kirkfield. A comprehensive search effort was conducted by the Trenton Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, in collaboration with the OPP, members of the City of Kawartha Lakes detachment, and other agencies. The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources also assisted in locating the aircraft and the deceased pilot.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash, deploying a team of investigators to the scene near Minden Hills, Ontario, where the accident involving the privately registered small plane occurred. The pilot, known only by his first name, was described by Durham police as an experienced aviator who typically flew in the area south of Kawartha Lakes and north of Lake Scugog.

The OPP expressed its condolences to the pilot’s family and thanked the public for their support during the search operation.