Amelia Earhart mystery 'solved' as missing pilot's plane 'found' near 'secluded island'
New satellite images may have finally uncovered the whereabouts of Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Electra 10-E, which disappeared on July 2, 1937 with the pilot and navigator Fred Noonan on board
The perplexing mystery of Amelia Earhart, the pioneering young American woman who disappeared 88 years ago during her round-the-world flight attempt, continues to captivate as an enduring puzzle.
The determined American pilot Amelia, together with her navigator Fred Noonan, set off on an epic journey that would take them across the Pacific Ocean. Their route was meant to lead them to a tiny island following their departure from New Guinea in July 1937.
On July 2, 1937, aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart vanished into the Pacific's depths - expected to land on Howland Island but instead encountered her mysterious fate.
Today, state-of-the-art technology and sophisticated satellite imagery could potentially unlock the decades-old puzzle surrounding Amelia's final destination.
READ MORE: 'Sexy' BBC drama with near perfect rating is leaving Netflix in just daysREAD MORE: DNA kit that found woman's siblings she 'didn't know existed' now better than half-priceArchaeological specialist Dr Rick Pettigrew holds firm conviction that the latest satellite images might expose portions of the missing aircraft, according to the Mirror US, reports the Express.
Believed remnants of the plane's tail section, wing, and fuselage are thought to be concealed on an isolated island within the Pacific's expanse.
Flying laboratory
Her aircraft of choice for the doomed mission was the brand-new Lockheed Electra 10-E.
Amelia had shared her hopes before the tragic flight: "With it, I hope to accomplish something really scientifically worthwhile for aviation."
Ominous fate Archaeologist Mr Pettigrew has stepped forward with a fascinating hypothesis following his examination of satellite imagery. He believes that Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan might have found themselves stranded on Nikumaroro Island, located south of their planned destination of Howland Island, following a navigation error.
Safe touchdown
Speaking to WISH TV, Pettigrew 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."
Despite comprehensive aerial searches conducted by US Navy aircraft in 1937 throughout the Pacific region, neither Amelia nor her co-pilot Fred Noonan were located.
Specialists, including Pettigrew, propose that natural elements such as oceanic conditions and tidal movements may have led to the aircraft's deterioration over the decades.
The widely accepted theory amongst researchers like Pettigrew is that the aeroplane's main body and rear section could have been shifted by sea currents to the opposite side of the coastline.
Discovered debris
Pettigrew is currently working alongside Purdue University, where Earhart held a position when she vanished, to organise an expedition to the island this November (2025) to confirm whether the wreckage is from her aircraft. Backed by the Purdue Research Foundation, Pettigrew and his team at Purdue are set to undertake a major expedition to unravel one of aviation's most enduring enigmas.
Pettigrew is optimistic that this could be the missing aircraft in which Amelia Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan were trying to fly around the world almost nine decades ago.
If they manage to identify the plane this November, a comprehensive excavation will ensue with the goal of bringing it back to the research university.