A breakthrough is unfolding that could finally bring answers to one of aviation’s most enduring mysteries. According to The Guardian, US researchers have announced a new mission to locate Amelia Earhart’s lost plane. The expedition, announced on Wednesday, follows compelling satellite imagery that potentially shows parts of Earhart’s Lockheed Electra 10E protruding from the sand on Nikumaroro, a remote island in Kiribati, approximately 1,000 miles from Fiji.
This announcement comes exactly 88 years after Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, vanished on July 2, 1937, during their ambitious attempt to circumnavigate the globe. The Archaeological Legacy Institute, a non-profit organization based in Oregon, believes this mission represents the most promising opportunity yet to close this enduring historical case and bring closure to decades of speculation.
“What we have here is maybe the greatest opportunity ever to finally close the case,” said Richard Pettigrew, head of the Archaeological Legacy Institute, in a recent news release.
New Evidence Emerges In The Search For Amelia Earhart’s Lost Plane
The satellite image, captured in 2015, reveals an object that researchers claim aligns in size and material with Earhart’s aircraft. This discovery gained significance because it appeared after a powerful cyclone potentially shifted sand and exposed the site. The location also corresponds with Earhart’s intended flight path and sits near where experts believe four of her emergency radio transmissions originated.
Purdue University, where Earhart once taught and which helped fund her final flight, is spearheading this historic effort. The university has organized a team set to travel to Nikumaroro this November, with hopes of recovering the remains of the aircraft. “We believe we owe it to Amelia and her legacy at Purdue to fulfill her wishes, if possible, to bring the Electra back to Purdue,” explained Steve Schultz, the university’s general counsel.
Researchers have found additional evidence supporting Earhart’s presence on the island, including American-made tools and a small medicine bottle. These discoveries strengthen the theory that Earhart may have survived for some time on the remote island after crash-landing.
The Expedition Plan
The Purdue Research Foundation has approved $500,000 in funding for the first phase of this ambitious project. The research team faces a challenging journey – a six-day boat ride to reach Nikumaroro, followed by just five days on the island to locate and identify the mysterious object. If successful, this mission could finally solve one of history’s most enduring mysteries and fulfill Earhart’s intention to return her aircraft to Purdue University for future aviation students to study.
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