British Pilot Claims to Locate Amelia Earhart’s Missing Aircraft

The long-standing mystery of Amelia Earhart’s disappearance may be closer to resolution, as British pilot Captain Justin Myers claims to have identified the wreckage of her aircraft using Google Earth. Earhart, along with her navigator, Fred Noonan, vanished in July 1937 during a flight from Lae, New Guinea, to Howland Island. Despite extensive search efforts, no trace of the pioneering aviator or her Lockheed Electra 10E has been found in nearly nine decades.

Captain Myers, who has over 25 years of flying experience, asserts he is “99 per cent certain” that he has pinpointed the crash site on the east coast of Nikumaroro Island, a remote coral atoll in the Pacific Ocean. By analyzing magnified images, he contends that he has discovered underwater shapes that correspond to the dimensions of Earhart’s aircraft.

The pilot’s assertion hinges on the belief that Earhart and Noonan, facing low fuel and challenging weather conditions, may have attempted an emergency landing on Nikumaroro after failing to reach Howland Island, located approximately 400 miles (640 km) north. Previous explorations of the area have uncovered various artefacts, including makeshift tools and pieces of clothing, which suggest the possibility that Earhart survived the crash and reached the shore before succumbing to the elements.

Evidence from Google Earth

What distinguishes Captain Myers’ discovery is his claim of photographic evidence obtained from Google Earth. He became interested in the Nikumaroro site after watching a documentary about Earhart’s final flight. In a blog post, he reflected on the challenges that Earhart likely faced, stating, “Poor sleep, upper wind predictions not being accurate, probably fatigue and some anxiety would likely have played a part in the disappearance.”

Myers elaborated on his findings, describing a “dark coloured perfectly straight object” he identified on the island’s eastern shoreline. Using Google Earth’s measuring tool, he found the object to be 39 feet (12 meters) in length, matching the size of the Lockheed Electra 10E. He noted, “A day or so later I had another look, just like that Bang! 110ft to the west of the metal section was what appeared to be a perfect half-exposed radial engine measuring 4-4.5ft in diameter.”

While Myers acknowledges that he cannot definitively claim this is Earhart’s plane, he believes it is a vintage aircraft of similar dimensions. He stated to Popular Science, “The bottom line is, from my interests from a child in vintage aircraft and air crash investigation, I can say that is what was once a 12-meter, 2-engine vintage aircraft.”

Calls for Expedition

Captain Myers is eager for an expedition to be launched to investigate the underwater objects further and confirm whether they belong to Earhart’s plane. Despite his attempts to engage various organizations, including the National Transportation Safety Board and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, he has not received a response. He also reached out to Purdue University to see if any historians would be interested in pursuing his findings.

His outreach occurred over three years ago, and the lack of response may be linked to Purdue University’s existing plans to search for Earhart’s wreckage. Recently, researchers announced a scheduled expedition to examine the “Taraia Object,” a visual anomaly in the Nikumaroro lagoon, which is also believed to be the site of the downed Electra. This expedition is set to depart from Majuro in the Marshall Islands on November 5, 2023, and will last five days.

Richard Pettigrew, director of the Archaeological Legacy Institute, emphasized the importance of this opportunity, stating, “What we have here is maybe the greatest opportunity ever to finally close the case. With such a great amount of very strong evidence, we feel we have no choice but to move forward and hopefully return with proof.”

As the search for Amelia Earhart continues, Captain Myers’ claims add a new dimension to the enduring mystery, potentially leading to answers that have eluded investigators for generations.