Lost plane of legendary pioneer Amelia Earhart 'found' with 'parts spotted'
Amelia Earhart, the trailblazing American aviator who vanished 88 years ago during her world flight attempt, remains shrouded in mystery.
The American pilot Amelia and her navigator Fred Noonan embarked on a historic global trek that took them over the Pacific Ocean. After departing from New Guinea in July 1937, they aimed to touch down on a minuscule island.
On July 2, 1937, aviation icon Amelia went missing above the Pacific Ocean – she was expected to arrive at Howland Island, just north of the equator, but she never made it.
With cutting-edge technology and satellite imagery now at our disposal, there's a chance we might finally uncover her long-lost aircraft, reigniting the age-old question: What happened to Amelia Earhart?
Archaeologist Dr Rick Pettigrew is optimistic that new satellite photos could shed light on this enigma – he's persuaded that the images reveal parts of the lost plane, reports the Mirror US.
The remnants of the plane's tail, wing, and fuselage are thought to be resting on an isolated island in the vast Pacific.
In a newsreel from July 1936, Amelia spoke about her aircraft, stating: "It's a real flying laboratory equipped with the latest of instruments."
She piloted a state-of-the-art Lockheed Electra 10-E when she mysteriously disappeared.
At that time, she expressed her ambition: "With it, I hope to accomplish something really scientifically worthwhile for aviation."
Yet, merely a year later, Amelia and Mr Noonan vanished without leaving any clues or evidence of a crash landing.
Now, archaeologist Mr Pettigrew has developed a theory - after examining the satellite images - he believes they landed on a different island.
His hypothesis is that they reached Nikumaroro, an island south of Howland after overshooting Howland Island, their intended destination.
Pettigrew described this as 'not a crash landing', but a 'successful landing on the reef with an intact aircraft'.
Speaking to WISH TV, he explained: "I think it's likely Amelia was planning to be rescued, refueled, take off again and make it to Hawaii and continue on to California to complete her journey. We know there are radio transmissions from her for a period of about 4 or 5 days. She was basically sending out SOS."
United States Navy aircraft scoured the Pacific Ocean back in 1937, but never located Amelia and Fred Noonan.
It's thought that weather conditions, sea and tides could have demolished the aircraft over time.
Possibly, the fuselage and tail was swept across the expanse of salt water to the far shore, experts such as Pettigrew suggest.
If it is Amelia's aircraft it remained hidden for many decades, in 2015 it appears the wreckage was exposed after a cyclone weather event - then the plane parts became visible from space.
Pettigrew has now teamed up with Purdue University - they will travel to verify if it's the aircraft - the team will head to the island this November (2025).
The Purdue Research Foundation will assist with funding the expedition - Amelia was employed at Purdue University when she vanished in 1937. Pettigrew holds high hopes that this could be the lost aircraft in which Amelia Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan attempted to circle the globe nearly nine decades ago.
Should they confirm the plane's identity this November, a comprehensive excavation will ensue, with plans to return it to the research university.
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