Huronia West OPP has located the missing plane from Edenvale Aerodrome and the body of its pilot, Lachlan MacLean, a Springwater Township man.

Police made the announcement Monday evening, saying the plane and the man's body were found near the mouth of the Musquash River in Georgian Bay Township. The river empties into Georgian Bay.

Staff Sgt. Cathy Bell of South Georgian Bay OPP said the plane and body were located shortly after noon Monday. Crew aboard a search plane spotted the scene.

Helping police in the search was a plane and crew based at CFB Trenton, east of Toronto.

The investigation has now been turned over to Transport Canada and The Ontario Coroner's Office.

MacLean was flying a red and white Highcraft Buccaneer SX ultra light aircraft, registration number C-IHHR.

Const. Mark Kinney says that around 11:30 a.m. on Sunday MacLean left the Edenvale Aerodrome in Clearview Township with the intention of flying to Beausoliel Island on Georgian Bay.

Kinney says that once reaching the island the man planned to return to the aerodrome in Clearview, located on Highway 26, just east of Sunnidale Corners.

He was supposed to finish the trip by 2 p.m.

When MacLean didn't return by 3:30 p.m. officials at the aerodrome reported him missing.
Onofrio Spatola, office manager of the Edenvale Ultralight School, based at the aerodrome, wouldn't say how much experience MacLean had in the aircraft.

Spatola did say, however, that MacLean rents hangar space at the facility.

Spatola said the craft MacLean was flying could land on water and land.

"It's not a basic ultra light."

Spatola said the weather on Sunday was perfect for flying.

"There were very low winds and lots of visibility. I don't know what went wrong."

- with files from Torstar News Service.