RCMP recover remains from 1959 plane crash site

A three-day, deep-water dive in a cold, north Saskatchewan lake has led RCMP to recover human remains and personal items from the scene of a 1959 plane crash.

Members of the Saskatchewan and Manitoba dive and rescue teams spent three days on Peter Pond Lake this week, just west of Buffalo Narrows, to try recovering the remains from the small plane crash.

RCMP documented their efforts on Twitter and Facebook throughout the week. They said they wanted to bring closure to the families of the crash victims.

On Wednesday, divers successfully retrieved the remains and personal belongings of pilot Ray Gran and Saskatchewan conservation officer Harold Thompson.

Among the items recovered were a Zeiss camera, a camera case and a knife.

Dive crews also found boots, a pendant and a wallet.

A Zeiss camera case recovered from Peter Pond Lake. (RCMP Saskatchewan Twitter)

“At the bottom, you can’t see your hand. You have to use a light close to your chest to see what you picked up. I wish I had more time to see the whole plane, but it was important to gather what we could from the cockpit,” Cst. Peter Rhead said.

He said there was no doubt they’d found the right airplane.

“I saw the colours and the markings on the plane; it’s obvious it is the right plane.”

Police gave the remains and personal belongings to the Saskatchewan Coroners Service; they’ll be released to the family of the deceased after the coroner’s investigation is done.

The dive team started on Monday, did their final plunges on Wednesday and packed up and left the frigid northern lake on Thursday.

Flashback to Aug. 2018: members of our RCMP Underwater Recovery Team (URT) were on-site at Peter Pond Lake, for a possible recovery dive of a small plane that went missing in 1959. However, due to strong winds and high waves, members delayed the dive until winter. ^mm pic.twitter.com/wimt49KKp5

— RCMP Saskatchewan (@RCMPSK) January 29, 2019