Amelia Earhart expedition in South Pacific to search for aviator’s missing plane ends in disappointment

A U.S. team of marine archeologists who were hoping a submerged object a satellite detected six years ago in a lagoon on the remote Pacific island of Nikumaroro was Amelia Earhart's missing plane, ended up disappointed in their quest.

The Taraia Object Expedition was led by the Archaeological Legacy Institute and backed by Purdue University.  Purdue announced that the team had "found no conclusive evidence" to confirm the Taraia Object hypothesis — which suggested that wreckage from Earhart's aircraft lay in the lagoon on the remote Pacific island of Nikumaroro which is roughly halfway between Australia and Hawaii.

The researchers say the object was "likely a collection of large trees deposited along the peninsula’s sandspit."

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Big picture view:

The Taraia Object has been the subject of speculation that it is the wreckage of Earhart’s twin-engine Lockheed Electra 10-E airplane, last seen 89 years ago. 

Despite the disappointing development, researchers aren't giving up on the theory that Earhart ended up on Nikumaroro.

"While the expedition did not uncover the 'smoking gun' connecting Earhart to Nikumaroro, the team reiterated its collective belief in the broader castaway hypothesis," Purdue University added.  

What they're saying:

Despite the setback, Rick Pettigrew, executive director of the Archaeological Legacy Institute (ALI) and leader of the expedition, said the team "remains in great spirits and proud of what was accomplished."

"We accomplished our goal to determine what the Taraia Object was, and we’re deeply grateful to the private donors who shared our vision and made this journey possible," he said in a statement.

Amelia Earhart vanished in 1937 

The backstory:

The famed aviator was 39 when she vanished on July 2, 1937, while attempting to become the first female pilot to fly around the world. Earhart, along with navigator Fred Noonan, lost contact during one of the final legs of their journey. They went missing after they left Lae, New Guinea, bound for Howland Island in the Pacific.

Those who believe that Earhart’s plane went down near Nikumaroro believe that Earhart and Noonan became stranded on the remote island and possibly died as castaways. 

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.

U.S.