Researchers Close In On Amelia Earhart’s Missing Plane

The search for Amelia Earhart’s missing plane has entered a critical phase. A team of American researchers is exploring a potential discovery off a remote South Pacific island. The expedition team led by Steve Schultz of Purdue University and Richard Pettigrew from the Archaeological Legacy Institute has initiated a meticulous search for remnants of Earhart’s Lockheed Electra 10-E aircraft.

“We’re looking at the land, seeking artifacts connected to Amelia Earhart,” noted Pettigrew. Schultz emphasized that they remain in the data-gathering stage. The team is examining a lagoon near Nikumaroro, focusing on an area known as the Taraia Object. This visual anomaly, seen in aerial photos since 1938, resurfaced in 2020 satellite images, prompting the renewed search effort.

Nikumaroro is located within the Kiribati archipelago, roughly midway between Australia and Hawaii. The search area, incredibly remote, required the 17-member team five days at sea to access. Despite this challenge, they anticipate knowing within days if Earhart’s plane has been found.

Pettigrew outlined the next steps: complete analysis of gathered data followed by sediment removal using a hydraulic dredge. Earhart disappeared on July 2, 1937, during her attempt to fly around the equator. Alongside navigator Fred Noonan, she vanished 22,000 miles into the journey. The intended final destination was Howland Island, about 400 miles southeast of Nikumaroro.

“We’re the only team executing a plan like this,” Pettigrew remarked, underscoring the innovative nature of their approach.