Groundbreaking aviator Amelia Earhart’s mysterious disappearance over the Pacific Ocean has intrigued the world for nearly 87 years. Deep Sea Vision, an ocean exploration company based in Charleston, South Carolina, has recently joined the search and claims to have found a potential clue that could shed light on Earhart’s story.
Using sonar imaging, Deep Sea Vision’s team of underwater archaeologists and marine robotics experts have identified an anomaly in the Pacific Ocean, approximately 16,000 feet underwater. The anomaly bears resemblance to a small aircraft, possibly the Lockheed 10-E Electra that Earhart was piloting during her ill-fated attempt to circumnavigate the globe.
Deep Sea Vision announced this discovery through an Instagram post, expressing their hope to bring closure to one of the greatest American mysteries. The imagery was captured around 100 miles away from Howland Island, the expected landing spot after Earhart’s departure from Lae, Papua New Guinea. The US government had declared Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan lost at sea following a 16-day search.
To map the ocean floor, Deep Sea Vision utilized an advanced autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) called Hugin 6000, which employs sonar technology. The company’s expedition, conducted from September to December 2023, covered over 5,200 square miles of the ocean floor. Deep Sea Vision plans to return to the site within the year to gather further evidence, potentially using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) with a camera for closer investigation.
While the anomaly could be Earhart’s plane, experts urge caution and further examination. Andrew Pietruszka, an underwater archaeologist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, emphasized the need for additional interrogation of the target. Various theories have emerged over the years, including the possibility that Earhart and Noonan crashed in the Marshall Islands or survived a rough landing on a reef but perished as castaways.
The proximity of the sonar image to Howland Island adds significance to the find. Earhart’s radio transmissions grew stronger as she approached the island, suggesting she was nearing it before disappearing. However, the plane-shaped object lacks certain features of Earhart’s Lockheed Electra, such as the twin engines, according to David Jourdan, president of Nauticos, another deep ocean exploration company.
To confirm the identity of the anomaly, a return to the site is necessary. Locating the certification “NR16020” on the missing Lockheed wing would provide definitive proof. Jourdan believes that if the plane is found at such depths, where temperatures are cold and oxygen levels low, it could be remarkably well-preserved.
Amelia Earhart’s disappearance continues to captivate the world, with her being hailed as the rock star of her era. The desire for her to successfully complete her journey around the world remains strong, and her vanishing without a trace has become one of the greatest mysteries of the 20th and 21st centuries.
In conclusion, Deep Sea Vision’s discovery of a potential aircraft anomaly in the Pacific Ocean brings hope for answers regarding Amelia Earhart’s disappearance. While further investigation is required to confirm its identity, the find has reignited interest in solving one of the most enduring mysteries in aviation history.