RCMP’s Underwater Recovery Team is making a dive at Peter Pond Lake, Sask. to try and recover a small plane that crashed 60 years ago.

The plane, owned by Saskatchewan Government Airways, took off from Buffalo Narrows on Aug. 20, 1959. It was en route to investigate poaching and deliver mail to La Loche.

After the crash, the Royal Canadian Air Force searched for the missing aircraft for 10 days. The Air Force concluded the plane crashed into Peter Pond Lake – just past Buffalo Narrows – and everybody on board had died.

The wreckage was never located, but RCMP believe the plane is submerged in 18 meters of water in Peter Pond Lake.

RCMP divers arrived at the Northern Saskatchewan lake on Monday, according to their Facebook account which is updating the public on the dive.

“Upon arrival of the scene, five holes were made in the ice, where a sonar was inserted to map the exact location of the airplane – which appeared to be right under the team,” Saskatchewan RCMP wrote.

RCMP tried to make the dive in August, but low visibility and strong waves made it impossible. The Underwater Recovery Team decided to make the dive in the winter because ice can be used as a staging point and dive platform.

“Next on the agenda: warm up, assess the day’s progress and set goals for the next day’s work,” Saskatchewan RCMP said in a Facebook post describing the team’s first day.

– with files from The Canadian Press