UPDATE: Troopers say body of LaVerne Pettigen recovered Friday from Big Lake

Updated 3:20 p.m. Friday with new information on today's discovery:

Alaska State Troopers say they have found one body in their search for a missing couple on Big Lake.

Trooper spokesperson Megan Peters said the body of LaVerne Pettigen was discovered in the lake after searchers spotted her helmet in the ice late in the day Thursday. She said Troopers will use sonar and a Remote Operated Vehicle to search for Van Pettigen.

LaVerne and Van Pettigen

have been missing since the weekend

. Their daughter said they planned an afternoon ride on Friday, and one of the two made contact with someone by cell phone on Sunday.

Dozens of volunteers scoured the Big Lake area trails Wednesday

and Thursday. Friday, Troopers returned to a more targeted area based on information they found.

[RELATED: Big Lake search honing in on specific areas; stlil no sign of snowmachining couple (Thursday)]

A Channel 2 crew saw dive crews working near Saddleback Island on the south side of the lake. Peters said the area where the body was found has very thin ice and people should avoid the area.

Search volunteers posted on social media Friday that the area had pervasive and widespread thin ice.

Peters said Troopers would continue looking for Van Pettigen as light allows Friday, and would likely be back Saturday.

Correction: This story previously said Troopers used sonar and an ROV to find LaVerne Pettigen, but that's not the case. Searchers found her body after her helmet was spotted Thursday.

Channel 2's Shawn Wilson contributed to this report from Big Lake.