Authorities say a pilot could have been trapped in the wreckage of his ultralight aircraft at the airport in Merritt, British Columbia for seven hours before he was found last weekend. The unidentified pilot was found in the aircraft on the single runway at Merritt (CYMB) about midnight after a missing persons report had been filed just after midnight on Feb. 10. The aircraft nosed over on the runway and the wings partially detached in the crash, which may have happened about 5 p.m. on Sunday. Circumstances of the crash were not immediately known. The pilot was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Police are now looking for anyone who may have seen the aircraft crash or saw it crumpled on the runway. Other than the plowing the runway at 10:40 a.m. on the previous Saturday, no other activity has been noted at the airport over the weekend. The runway was closed for most of Monday as the wreckage was removed and investigators did their work. The TSB and Transport Canada have been notified and the local RCMP will assist in the investigation. There was no report of an ELT signal being received.