A recent discovery dating back to 1938 may shed light on the fate of Amelia Earhart’s aircraft, with a mysterious object found on a remote island potentially indicating a sighting of the plane. Researchers have stated that the anomaly presents compelling evidence suggesting it could be Earhart’s missing plane. Amelia Earhart, accompanied by navigator Fred Noonan, disappeared over the central Pacific Ocean on July 2, 1937, during an attempt to fly around the world.
While en route to Howland Island, the duo lost radio contact and never reappeared. The focus now lies on a metallic object situated underwater in a lagoon on Nikumaroro Island, as depicted in recently uncovered images taken a year after Earhart’s disappearance. According to Purdue University, the object, known as the “Taraia Object,” is believed to be Earhart’s renowned Lockheed 10-E Electra.
A team of 15 researchers from Purdue and the Archeological Legacy Institute (ALI) will embark on a mission to Nikumaroro to examine what they suspect to be the main body and tail of the missing plane. Dr. Richard Pettigrew, the executive director of ALI, expressed his anticipation, calling the potential discovery of Earhart’s aircraft a monumental breakthrough. The expedition aims to confirm the wreckage’s identity, building upon existing evidence that strongly points to Nikumaroro as the final destination of Earhart and Noonan.
The upcoming three-week expedition will concentrate on the “Taria Object,” an enigmatic structure initially observed in satellite images in 2015 along the north shore of Nikumaroro’s lagoon. Purdue University’s senior vice president, Steve Schultz, emphasized the significance of identifying the object, highlighting the university’s commitment to honoring Earhart’s legacy.
Following Earhart and Noonan’s disappearance, an extensive 16-day search was conducted by the US Navy and Coast Guard, leading to no breakthrough. Despite numerous subsequent efforts over the past nine decades, including the recent million-dollar expedition by Tony Romeo and the Deep Sea Vision team, neither Earhart’s remains nor her aircraft wreckage have been located.
In a related development, US President Donald Trump announced plans to declassify and release government records related to Earhart and her final flight.