Haliburton Highlands OPP have discovered a woman's body in the area of Bear Lake, near Algonquin Provincial Park.

The body was located around 7:30 Saturday night, close to where missing 18-year-old Sophie Smith of London was last seen.

OPP have yet to confirm if the body is that of Sophie Smith.

Just before 1 p.m. Friday, Haliburton Highlands OPP were notified about a young female boater who had encountered problems on Kawagama Lake.

She was helped by an area resident and taken to a safe location.

But police were later notified that she did not return home later that day.

Officers from the Haliburton Highlands OPP, as well as OPP Regional Canine, Emergency Response Unit, Marine and an OPP helicopter were dispatched to conduct a missing person search.

Smith was last seen around 12:51 p.m. paddling her canoe on the north east area of Kawagama Lake.

She is described as 5'8" tall, with a medium build and short blonde hair.

Smith was last seen wearing a grey sweater, black shorts and a green bandana.