Crashed plane, pilot’s body found near Aberdeen

ABERDEEN, S.D. (AP) — Authorities have recovered the body of the pilot of a small plane that was found crashed near Aberdeen nearly two weeks after it went missing.

Brown County Chief Deputy Dave Lunzman says the body of 70-year-old Gerald Seliski of Hecla, South Dakota, was recovered Tuesday. Seliski was the only one on board. An autopsy is planned Wednesday.

Lunzman said Tuesday a hunter found the wreckage of the Cessna 172 about 3 miles north of Aberdeen Monday evening.

The plane departed Aberdeen Regional Airport for Oakes, North Dakota, on Oct. 9 but never arrived. The Civil Air Patrol has helped local officials from South Dakota and North Dakota search for the missing plane.

The National Transportation Safety Board tweeted Tuesday it would investigate the crash.