Declassified CIA Document Reveals Agency’s 50-Year Knowledge of Noah’s Ark Location Amidst New Claims
Recent claims by scientists asserting the location of Noah’s Ark have been further substantiated by a newly declassified CIA document. This revelation indicates that the intelligence agency possessed knowledge regarding the potential whereabouts of the famed Biblical ship for over half a century. The unearthed report details a covert, decade-long operation to locate the Ark, driven by the aspiration to validate the enduring legend. This disclosure emerges as researchers present fresh findings concerning a site near Mount Ararat in Turkey, intensifying the ongoing quest to authenticate the Ark’s existence.
CIA’s Decade-Long Secret Search for Noah’s Ark
The four-page document, officially titled ‘Report Re: Noah’s Ark,’ unveils the Central Intelligence Agency’s clandestine investigation spanning nearly ten years. The aim of this operation was to pinpoint the Ark’s location, fueled by the desire to confirm the veracity of the widely circulated narrative.
Biblical Account and the Quest for Evidence
According to biblical scripture, Noah was instructed by God to construct an immense vessel, the Ark. This ship was designed to safeguard Noah, his family, and pairs of every animal species from a cataclysmic flood intended to eliminate all life on Earth. While the narrative of Noah’s Ark is globally recognized, concrete proof of its existence has remained elusive.
Scientists Reassess Boat-Shaped Formation Near Mount Ararat
Earlier this month, scientists announced a compelling assertion: a boat-shaped land formation situated approximately 18 miles south of Mount Ararat in Turkey is believed to be the fossilized remnants of a colossal ship. This declaration has reignited interest in the area and spurred further examination of the geological anomaly.
Evidence from Soil Samples
Analysis of soil samples extracted from the site revealed the presence of clay-like substances, marine sediments, and ancient traces of sea life. These findings are dated back to the epoch congruent with the Noah’s Ark narrative. Furthermore, the research team posits that the collected data suggests human activity in the vicinity of Mount Ararat during that ancient period, adding weight to the possibility of a man-made structure.
Declassified File Reveals Prior CIA Interest
The CIA file, declassified in 2002, suggests that the U.S. intelligence community has been monitoring this precise location since 1957. This revelation indicates a long-standing interest within government circles regarding the potential location of Noah’s Ark in the Mount Ararat region.
Aerial Surveillance and High-Level Interest
Between 1974 and 1982, the agency conducted investigations of Mount Ararat, employing satellite imagery and spy plane reconnaissance. This operation was initiated following a request from the Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) to ascertain any evidence of the Ark at the location. The persistent requests to locate the Ark originated from various individuals within the U.S. government, demonstrating widespread interest beyond the intelligence community.
Unsuccessful Initial Search and Continued Requests
DCI William Colby, who led the CIA from 1973 to 1976, was tasked with deploying advanced technology to analyze satellite photography of Mount Ararat in 1974. Lt. Col. Walter Brown, a high-ranking U.S. Air Force official, initiated the request to determine if any evidence of the Ark could be identified. While the Air Force’s specific motivations remain undisclosed, a U-2 spy plane was subsequently dispatched to capture images of Mount Ararat. Satellites were also repositioned to survey the area’s glacier systems for potential Ark evidence. Intelligence officials were informed that the aerial reconnaissance yielded ‘negative results.’ Despite the initial lack of findings, the request from Colby was not an isolated incident, as the agency would receive further inquiries.
Persistent Interest from Government Figures
Over the subsequent eight years, the CIA documented over ten additional requests pertaining to Mount Ararat and Noah’s Ark. These requests emanated from prominent individuals linked to the government, including members of Congress, a former astronaut, and several officials from the DCI’s Intelligence Community Staff. However, in each instance, the CIA maintained that they possessed no evidence confirming the presence of Noah’s Ark at Mount Ararat.
Denial of Information and Ongoing Research
In a 1994 memo, the CIA stated their continued rejection of Freedom of Information Act requests for Mount Ararat photographs, citing image classification. The agency further indicated that there were ‘no efforts currently underway either to review other records or conduct additional searches for Noah’s Ark.’ Conversely, recent investigations by researchers exploring the area for indications of the Ark have presented a contrasting narrative. These investigations have uncovered evidence suggesting that the geological mound did indeed undergo a significant deluge approximately 5,000 years ago, aligning with the timeline of the purported Biblical flood.
Mount Ararat and Noah’s Ark Research Team’s Findings
Since 2021, scientists affiliated with Istanbul Technical University, Agri Ibrahim Cecen University, and Andrews University in Michigan have been collaboratively studying the site as part of the Mount Ararat and Noah’s Ark Research Team. At the 7th International Symposium on Mount Ararat and Noah’s Ark in 2023, researchers unveiled new data potentially supporting their hypothesis that the Durupinar Formation is an ancient vessel.
Sample Analysis and Age Confirmation
The research team collected 30 soil and rock samples from the vicinity of the geological structure and dispatched them to Istanbul Technical University for in-depth analysis. Radiometric dating of these samples revealed their age to be between 3,500 and 5,000 years old – a timeframe consistent with the biblical account of the Great Flood that Noah purportedly built the Ark to survive. Literal interpretations of the Bible place the global flood event during the Chalcolithic period, spanning from 5500 to 3000 BC.
Continued Mystery Surrounding CIA Knowledge
Despite the CIA‘s repeated claims of lacking evidence for Noah’s Ark at the site, the agency consistently denied access to surveillance photographs, citing classification. Intelligence officials only referenced spy plane photos from 1957 and satellite images from the initial 1974 inquiry by DCI Colby in response to requests. Whether the U.S. government acquired further imagery of the Mount Ararat region after 1974 remains unclear, as does whether existing data sufficiently satisfied their inquiries at that time. The Mount Ararat and Noah’s Ark Research Team maintains that further investigation is warranted to definitively verify if the discovered structure in Turkey is indeed Noah’s Ark. The extent of the CIA‘s past knowledge, or lack thereof, 50 years ago pertaining to this enduring enigma remains, for the moment, an unresolved mystery.
