The first female pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean was thought to have died in the Pacific Ocean after her Lockheed Electra 10E plane crashed in 1937 as she made her second attempt to circumnavigate the globe. American aviation pioneer Ms Earhart disappeared without a trace on July 2 1937 at the age of 39. Since that day, there have been countless conflicting theories about the fate met by the aviator and her navigator, Fred Noonan.
But researchers may be able to finally put the mystery to bed after finding wreckage of a plane off the coast of Buka Island, Papua New Guinea.
A team of divers from Project Blue Angel, an organisation researching the mysterious disappearance of Ms Earhart, believe they have found wreckage of a plane which has the same modifications which the aviation hero had on hers – the Lockheed 10E Electra.
Bill Snavely, who captained the dive, said: “The Buka Island wreck site was directly on Amelia and Fred’s flight path, and it is an area never searched by anybody.
“What we found so far is consistent with the plane she flew.”
Jill Meyers, Blue Angel’s public relations manager, said: “Amelia’s Electra had specific modifications done to it for her specific journey, and the fact some of those unique modifications appear to be verified in the wreckage that’s been found, we really do believe its very likely this is the real thing.”
One such piece of debris which was discovered was a piece of glass which had been modified, with the experts believing it is one of Ms Earhart’s headlights.
The researchers said: “We can report that we found a piece of glass, approximately 6 inches in diameter, that shares some consistencies with a landing light on the Lockheed Electra 10E.
“We want to stress that this apparent aircraft debris field may not end up being that of Amelia Earhart’s Electra.
“However, some uniquely identifying characteristics are consistent, and time, distance and fuel computations match Bill’s theory of her flight route.”
Project Blue Angel is attempting to raise $200,000 (152,191) to continue its search.
According to the organisation’s Go Fund Me page, they have raised $1,260 at the time of writing.