Search for Amelia Earhart's long-lost plane reignites with ambitious new expedition
Researchers are gearing up to resume their search for Amelia Earhart's lost plane in the Pacific Ocean after setbacks delayed the search.
Purdue University officials said in a recent statement that researchers will travel to Nikumaroro Island in the Pacific to investigate the Taraia Object, a satellite-imaged anomaly believed by some to be Earhart's lost Lockheed Electra.
The expedition, called the Taraia Object Expedition, will depart on Oct. 7.
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"The expedition seeks to help complete the historic journey that ended with her disappearance 89 years ago," officials said.
If researchers confirm the Taraia Object is Earhart's airplane, they hope to conduct a full-scale archaeological excavation next year with the proper permissions, Purdue spokesperson Trevor Peters told Fox News Digital.
"The eventual curation of the wreckage has been the subject of discussions with [the Republic of] Kiribati, and although nothing has been finalized, ALI [the Archaeological Legacy Institute] and the Purdue Research Foundation share a dream of returning the plane to Purdue to be displayed, consistent with Amelia's original wishes," he added.
The expedition is based on researchers' belief that Earhart's plane came down near Nikumaroro, known as the Nikumaroro Hypothesis.
Supporters of the theory believe that Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan became stranded on the remote island after failing to reach Howland Island — possibly dying as castaways.
Earhart disappeared on July 2, 1937, while attempting to become the first female pilot to fly around the world.
She and Noonan lost contact during one of the final legs of their journey, going missing after leaving Lae, New Guinea, en route to Howland Island.
She was 39 years old at the time and one of the most famous people in the world.
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The upcoming expedition was announced last year but was delayed while officials awaited approval from the government of Kiribati. The country's cabinet has since approved the mission.
Richard Pettigrew, founder and executive director of the Archaeological Legacy Institute, which is leading the expedition, said that he is "grateful for the patience and enthusiasm of everyone who has followed this journey with us."
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"The evidence supporting the Nikumaroro Hypothesis remains compelling, and the only way to answer this question is to go to Nikumaroro, inspect the Taraia Object firsthand and follow the evidence wherever it leads," Pettigrew said in a statement.
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The story of Earhart's disappearance has captivated Americans for decades and has been the subject of ongoing research.
Last year, the National Archives released over 4,600 pages of previously unsealed government records related to Earhart's 1937 disappearance, including her final known radio transmissions.
More recently, pilot Justin Myers said he identified a possible image of Earhart's missing Lockheed Electra in Google Earth imagery of Nikumaroro.