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OPP divers recover body from Sparrow Lake

Police say positive identification cannot be made until a post-mortem examination is completed
2021-07-29 Ian Walker missing male OPP
Ian Walker left his seasonal cottage on Sparrow Lake Thursday morning and went missing later that day. Police divers recovered a body today after an extensive search of the water.

Members from the Bracebridge Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), with the assistance of the Underwater Search and Recovery Unit (USRU) and OPP Aviation Services, have located a body in relation to a missing person investigation on Sparrow Lake.

Ian Walker, 56, left his seasonal cottage, by canoe, in the early morning hours of Thursday, July 29. He was reported missing later that day.

A search began Thursday afternoon and continued throughout the weekend.

Earlier today (Aug. 1) at approximately 12:30 p.m., divers located a body in Sparrow Lake.

The OPP is not confirming the identity of the person who was recovered.

"Positive identification cannot be made until a post-mortem examination is completed," said the OPP in a media release.

Police say the USRU and Central Region SAVE team have suspended their search of the area until the identification of the body has been made.

More details will be provided when they become available.