British Pilot Claims to Discover Amelia Earhart’s Lost Aircraft

In a remarkable turn of events, British pilot Captain Justin Myers believes he has identified the wreckage of Amelia Earhart‘s missing aircraft, nearly ninety years after the aviator and her navigator, Fred Noonan, vanished during their flight in July 1937. Through analysis of magnified images from Google Earth, Captain Myers asserts he is “99 per cent certain” that he has pinpointed the location where Earhart crash-landed on the east coast of Nikumaroro Island, a remote coral atoll in the Pacific Ocean.

Despite extensive searches at the time, which were among the most costly in American history, no evidence of Earhart or her Lockheed Electra 10E was ever found. Myers, with nearly twenty-five years of flying experience, claims that the shapes he observed in the underwater images correspond precisely to the dimensions of Earhart’s aircraft. He is now advocating for an expedition to validate his findings.

Captain Myers’ interest in the site was sparked by a documentary about Earhart’s final flight. He theorizes that a combination of low fuel and challenging weather conditions may have diverted the aircraft from its intended destination at Howland Island, approximately 640 kilometers north of Nikumaroro. This diversion could have led to an emergency landing attempt on the island.

Previous expeditions have uncovered artifacts such as makeshift tools, clothing remnants, and a piece of plexiglass consistent with an Electra window. These discoveries have fueled speculation that Earhart may have reached the island’s shore after a crash landing before succumbing to the elements.

What distinguishes Captain Myers’ assertion is his claim of having found photographic evidence of the aircraft. He described his discovery in a blog post, stating that he was drawn to a “dark coloured perfectly straight object” along a sandy stretch of the island’s east coast. Using Google Earth’s measuring tool, he estimated the object to be 39 feet (12 meters) long, matching the size of the Lockheed Electra 10E. Myers further noted the presence of a partially exposed radial engine measuring between 4 to 4.5 feet in diameter, along with a wheel that appeared to be in proportion with the aircraft.

While Captain Myers remains cautious about definitively identifying the wreckage as Earhart’s, he believes it is a vintage aircraft of similar dimensions. He explained to Popular Science that his lifelong interest in aviation and crash investigations led him to conclude that what he observed was likely part of a vintage aircraft hidden for years. He emphasized, “If this is not Amelia’s Electra 10E, then it’s the answer to another mystery that has never been answered.”

Myers is eager to initiate an expedition to further investigate the objects he identified, but he has faced challenges in garnering support. He reached out to the National Transportation Safety Board in the U.S., the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, and the air crash investigation team in Brisbane. He also approached Purdue University, hoping to engage historians interested in pursuing an investigation. Despite his outreach over three years ago, Myers is still awaiting a response, possibly due to the university’s own plans to search for Earhart’s wreckage.

Just last month, researchers at Purdue University announced an expedition set to commence on November 5, 2023. This expedition aims to investigate the “Taraia Object,” a visual anomaly within the Nikumaroro lagoon that many believe to be the downed Electra. The team will spend five days examining the site, and if successful in confirming the aircraft’s identity, they plan to return for more extensive excavation efforts in 2026.

In a statement, Richard Pettigrew, director of the Archaeological Legacy Institute, expressed optimism about the potential findings. “What we have here is maybe the greatest opportunity ever to finally close the case,” he stated. With strong evidence supporting the expedition, researchers hope to provide conclusive answers regarding the fate of Amelia Earhart and her enduring mystery.