Amelia Earhart’s Plane Possibly Found in Pacific Lagoon—Expedition Launches to Confirm Wreckage
A major breakthrough may be underway in the search for Amelia Earhart’s missing plane, as researchers prepare to investigate a submerged object in the lagoon of Nikumaroro Island, believed to be the wreckage of her Lockheed Electra 10E. The discovery could finally solve the mystery surrounding Earhart’s disappearance in 1937.
The Taraia Object is a visual anomaly spotted in satellite images in 2020 and confirmed in aerial photos from 1938. Located in a lagoon on Nikumaroro Island, the object resembles parts of an aircraft and may be Earhart’s lost plane.
Expedition Details
Led by Purdue University and the Archaeological Legacy Institute, the expedition will:
Sail 1,200 nautical miles from Majuro to Nikumaroro
Use sonar and magnetometers to scan the site
Dredge and lift the object for identification
Document the process with video and photography
The team hopes to confirm the object’s identity and potentially recover the aircraft.
Amelia Earhart worked at Purdue University and received funding for her aircraft from the university’s aeronautical research program. If the plane is recovered, Purdue plans to bring it back to Indiana as part of Earhart’s legacy.
While some experts are optimistic, others remain skeptical. Previous searches yielded no results, but researchers believe recent environmental changes may have revealed the wreckage.
Earhart’s disappearance has fascinated the world for nearly 90 years. Confirming the location of her plane would be a historic milestone in aviation and archaeology, offering closure to one of the most enduring mysteries of the 20th century.