ROCK — A missing snowmobiler authorities were searching for this week was found dead on North Rock Road near Rock Wednesday.

The body of Dennis Frederick Pellinen, 54, of Ishpeming was found and identified at a snowmobile accident scene by the Marquette County Sheriff’s Office shortly before 5 p.m. on Jan. 9. The sheriff’s office had begun searching for Pellinen after he was reported missing by his family Monday.

Pellinen was last seen in Rock at about 1 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 6. Initially, he was believed to have left on his snowmobile at about 6 p.m. that day; however, this turned out not to be the case.

The accident scene was turned over to the Delta County Sheriff’s Office for investigation.

Assisting the Marquette County Sheriff’s Office in the search for Pellinen were the Michigan State Police, Marquette County Search and Rescue members and family members, friends and neighbors of Pellinen. A helicopter from the Michigan State Police arrived at KI Sawyer at about 4 p.m. to help search for Pellinen, but it was grounded due to bad weather after it landed to refuel.

In a press release, the sheriff’s office thanked the people and agencies that played a role in this search and expressed its condolences to Pellinen’s family and friends.