The body of a 70-year-old man was recovered from Beltzville State Park Friday morning a day after he left to go ice fishing and never returned.

Emergency crews resumed the search for the man at 9 a.m. Friday after he never returned from going ice fishing Thursday morning in the Preachers Camp area of the park.

Ben Monk, park manager, said emergency responders recovered the body at around 11 a.m. The man was deceased.

Carbon County Chief Deputy Coroner Gerald Jones Jr. said the man was from the Allentown area.

Jones said he couldn’t release the man’s identity until the rest of the family is notified.

He said the man’s body was found about 30 yards from where he was last known to be ice fishing.

“The ice where he was fishing was extremely soft, and he went under,” Jones said.

He said the man was pronounced dead at the scene at 11:15 a.m.

Jones said an autopsy of the body is scheduled for 8 a.m. Monday.

Monk said the man had gone ice fishing Thursday morning, but never returned home.

Monk said the man’s wife called and alerted them that he was missing.

Emergency crews were initially dispatched to the area at around 8:30 p.m. Thursday night.

The search was later called off due to the thick brush and it being dark outside.

Monk said the search reconvened at 9 a.m. Friday.

“All of the agencies met here at the office, went over what the action plan was going to be,” Monk said. “Mobilized all units up to the north shore across from Preachers Camp, went back to that location, had an ROV (a little submarine camera), took that out, made sure everything was safe; it was confirmed we did have the individual, and the water rescue team and dive team did go out and recover the victim and the equipment.”

Monk said he believes the male’s death was accidental.

“He was a seasoned ice fisherman,” he said. “(I believe) the heat of the day, just got away from him, with how quick the ice was melting.”

Monk said the search was conducted by State Police at Lehighton, Franklin Township Fire Company, Towamensing Township Fire Company, Lehighton Fire Department Dive Team, Carbon County Emergency Management Agency, Mahoning EMS, and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources park rangers.

“I was extremely impressed with the level of response; everybody came out, really gave it their all, really all hands on deck,” he said. “I’d like to thank all the parties that were involved.”