A satellite photo from 2015, recently reanalyzed, appears to show the outline of a plane buried in the sand on Nikumaroro Island, Kiribati. The shape and location match Earhart’s Lockheed Electra. Purdue University, which funded her final flight, plans to send a research team to the site in November. “We believe we owe it to Amelia and her legacy,” said Purdue’s Steve Schultz.
Archaeologists also found American-made tools and a medicine vial nearby, suggesting someone may have survived the crash. Some even believe Earhart lived on the island for weeks before dying — possibly falling victim to giant coconut crabs.
With mounting evidence and renewed global interest, experts say this could be the closest we’ve ever come to solving aviation’s greatest mystery.
