Diver Discovers WW2 Plane Wreck With Bodies at Bottom of Lake

An amateur diver in Canada has discovered what he claims is the wreckage of a plane possibly dating back to World War II at the bottom of Lake Simon in the Outaouais region of Quebec.

The Sûreté du Québec (SQ), the provincial police force, told Quebec's Le Journal de Montréal that a diver had captured images "of a mass that could resemble an airplane," which would have been down there for a very long time.

The Canadian national army is also investigating the latest discovery, according to the local newspaper.

Mark Sarazen, who lives in Papineau, a regional county municipality in Outaouais, told Le Journal de Montréal that he made the discovery back in April while collecting wood from the bottom of the water for his work.

Sarazen, who says he has been diving in the lake since 2008, said: "It's the kind of discovery you make once in your life. It's truly incredible.

"From my observations, this is an aircraft from WWII. It's quite amazing," claimed the diver, who said he shared several videos and photos of the plane cabin with the police.

"I saw bodies and kerosene barrels on the plane. I also hit the propeller. Unfortunately, I can't share anything [footage he captured from the scene]," he said.

Sarazen claimed he found at least six propellers and that over 150 chests remain around the wreckage at the bottom of the lake. The diver noted: "They may contain hazardous materials. We do not know."

He also believes the plane was "a Latécoère 631 type seaplane," based on his observations of the windows. "All this obviously remains to be confirmed with the army or the police."

Le Journal de Montréal reported police are expected to carry out several checks over the next few days and divers may be called upon to further investigate the site. Other experts, including museologists and archivists, have also been deployed to shed light on the latest discovery.

The footage of the scene captured by Sarazen has not been released.

Le Journal de Montréal reported the SQ and Canada's Department of National Defence are discussing who will be responsible for further research in Lake Simon, which ranges in depth from around 148 feet and 348 feet.

Newsweek has contacted the SQ, the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Aviation Historical Society for comment.

Back in 2008, the wreckage of a small plane that had crashed into Lake Simon 50 years earlier was recovered from the water after being discovered by a diver.

Canada's CTV Ottawa reported at the time that the Seabee aircraft was reported to have gone missing on November 21, 1957, with four hunters aboard near Lake Simon.

The plane's resting place remained a mystery until a diver, Guy Morin, discovered it back in 2007. Morin told CTV Ottawa in 2008: "Today is the conclusion of a long quest."

Police retrieved the plane from under the water as well as the remains of the men who were thought to be aboard.