Purdue-led team begins dredging search for Amelia Earhart's plane at Nikumaroro

Key points

• The expedition, led by Richard Pettigrew of the Archaeological Legacy Institute, arrived at Nikumaroro on October 12 after a six-day voyage from Tarawa, Kiribati.
• Researchers will use a hydraulic dredge to clear sediment from the Taraia Object, located approximately 10 feet from shore in shallow water, to determine if it is the Electra aircraft.
• The search is complicated by the presence of large coconut crabs, which force the crew to sleep on their ship at night, and by El Niño weather patterns that may limit daily access to the shore.
• If the object is confirmed as the plane, the team will not excavate it immediately but will return the following year for a full-scale recovery, with Purdue University negotiating custody rights with Kiribati.
• The expedition is the 20th organized search for Earhart's plane, following previous efforts by TIGHAR and others that failed to locate the aircraft in deep water.

Background

Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan disappeared on July 2, 1937, while attempting to circumnavigate the globe. They were heading to Howland Island to refuel but vanished. While the official 1937 US Navy search concluded they crashed into the ocean, a persistent theory suggests they landed on Nikumaroro. Previous expeditions, particularly by TIGHAR between 1989 and 2019, found evidence of a castaway camp but no plane wreckage. This new expedition builds on satellite imagery from 2020 that revealed a new object in the lagoon, distinct from previous findings.

How outlets are covering it

The Archaeological Legacy Institute and Purdue University are confident that the Taraia Object is the Electra, citing a 'metallic glint' in aerial footage and the object's presence in 1938 photos. In contrast, Ric Gillespie of TIGHAR, who led previous expeditions, dismisses the object as a fallen pandanus tree, noting that his teams used metal detectors at the site in 2001 and 2007 without finding anything. TIGHAR maintains that the plane was swept into deep water off the island's western end. BBC highlights the logistical challenges, such as the crabs and El Niño, while USA Today provides a detailed timeline of past failed searches, including a 2023 sonar survey that initially found a plane-shaped object later identified as a rock formation.

Why it matters

Confirming the location of Amelia Earhart's plane would resolve one of the 20th century's most enduring mysteries and validate decades of research into the Nikumaroro hypothesis. The discovery would also have significant cultural and historical implications, potentially leading to the repatriation of the wreckage to the United States and providing closure to the story of a pioneering aviator. The success or failure of this expedition will likely influence future archaeological efforts in the Pacific.

What to watch

The team will spend several days on the island, beginning with clearing vegetation and establishing staging operations. They plan to search for magnetic metals on the Taraia Peninsula and then use dredging equipment to inspect the object. If the object is confirmed as the aircraft, the team will return the following year for a full excavation. Purdue University is currently discussing an agreement with Kiribati regarding the custody of the wreckage.