Researchers are buzzing over a potential clue in the decades-long mystery of Amelia Earhart’s disappearance. A recent undersea sonar image has sparked claims of a possible aircraft discovery, raising hopes that the location where Amelia Earhart was found, or rather, where her plane might be located, is finally within reach. However, as with every development in this enduring enigma, experts are urging caution and highlighting the need for concrete evidence before declaring the mystery solved.
The claim comes from Deep Sea Vision, an ocean exploration company that announced via social media the detection of an object resembling a small aircraft on the Pacific Ocean floor. Located approximately 16,000 feet beneath the surface, the object was identified through sonar imaging, a technology that uses sound waves to map the seabed. Deep Sea Vision suggests this could be the Lockheed 10-E Electra, the plane piloted by Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan when they vanished 87 years ago during their ambitious attempt to circumnavigate the globe. The company detailed their expedition in an Instagram post, explaining they scanned over 5,200 square miles of ocean floor using advanced underwater drone technology before identifying the potential aircraft.
The disappearance of Amelia Earhart in 1937 has become one of history’s most captivating unsolved mysteries. Numerous theories have emerged over the years, fueling documentaries and expeditions, all attempting to pinpoint where Amelia Earhart was found or what ultimately happened to her and Noonan. One popular theory, explored in a History Channel documentary, proposed that Earhart and Noonan may have survived a crash landing, reaching the Marshall Islands and subsequently being captured by Japanese forces. This theory even suggested a government cover-up surrounding the aviators’ fate.
However, a more widely accepted explanation centers around a crash near Howland Island. Dorothy Cochrane, curator for the Aeronautics Department at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, supports this view. Speaking to the BBC, Cochrane pointed to the strength of Earhart’s last radio transmission to the US Coast Guard cutter Itasca, which was stationed at Howland Island. Earhart’s words, “We must be on you…”, just before communication ceased, suggest they were close to their destination. Cochrane believes the tragedy likely unfolded as Earhart and Noonan were unable to locate the small island before running out of fuel and being forced to ditch the Electra into the vast Pacific Ocean.
Expert Skepticism Greets New Sonar Image
While Dorothy Cochrane expresses confidence in the Howland Island crash theory, she remains unconvinced that the newly discovered sonar image represents Amelia Earhart’s aircraft. Cochrane emphasizes that a sonar image alone is insufficient for definitive identification. “Photographing the object would greatly assist in identifying it further,” she stated, highlighting the need for visual confirmation. She welcomes Deep Sea Vision’s search efforts near Howland Island and hopes for a follow-up expedition to gather more conclusive evidence.
Richard Jantz, professor emeritus of anthropology and director emeritus at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Forensic Anthropology Center, offers another perspective rooted in forensic analysis. Jantz re-examined bone measurements taken in 1940 from remains found on Nikumaroro Island (formerly Gardner Island). Initial analysis at the time suggested the bones belonged to a male. However, using modern computer analysis, Jantz concluded in a 2018 study that errors were made in the original assessment and that the bones were actually more consistent with a female of Earhart’s build and origin.
Jantz’s findings suggest a compelling alternative theory: that Amelia Earhart may have perished on Nikumaroro Island, approximately 400 miles southwest of Howland Island. He maintains that this hypothesis remains valid, even with the new sonar discovery. “In order for the Nikumaroro hypothesis to be disproven that aeroplane would have to be positively identified as Earhart’s Electra,” Jantz explained to the BBC. “That has not yet happened, and until it does there is no point in speculating about an Earhart connection [to the sonar image].”
Richard Gillespie, founder of The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR), is a staunch proponent of the Nikumaroro Island theory. Having led twelve expeditions in search of Earhart’s plane and authored several books on the subject, Gillespie considers himself a leading expert on the aviator’s fate. He asserts, “We know what happened. We have abundant evidence” pointing to Nikumaroro as the location where Amelia Earhart was ultimately found, albeit her remains and not the plane itself in his theory.
Gillespie dismisses the latest sonar discovery as irrelevant to the search for Amelia Earhart’s Lockheed Electra. “It is definitely not the Lockheed Electra and it’s not just me that thinks so,” he stated emphatically. He argues that sonar image interpretation is complex and that “one grainy image doesn’t tell you anything.” Furthermore, even if the image does depict an aircraft, Gillespie contends it doesn’t match the characteristics of Earhart’s plane, noting the wing shape is inconsistent with the Electra and more closely resembles a US Navy fighter jet.
The Allure of an Unsolved Mystery
Despite the skepticism from some experts, the prospect of finally locating Amelia Earhart’s plane is undeniably exciting. The mystery surrounding her disappearance has held the world’s attention for nearly a century, captivating imaginations with tales of adventure and intrigue. Dorothy Cochrane perhaps best summarizes the collective sentiment, “I’ll be delighted when the Electra is found and the mystery is finally solved.” Whether this new sonar image leads to a breakthrough remains to be seen, but it serves as a potent reminder of the enduring fascination with Amelia Earhart and the persistent quest to uncover where Amelia Earhart was truly found and bring closure to this long-unresolved chapter of history.
