Unlocking the mystery: Did deep-sea explorers find Amelia Earhart's lost plane?

Amelia Earhart's disappearance during her around-the-world flight is one of the greatest mysteries in the history of aviation. No one knows what happened to her, but this may change soon: the deep-sea exploration team from South Carolina believe that they found the wreck of the aviator's plane.

Amelia Mary Earhart was an American pioneering aviator and the first woman to fly single-handed across the Atlantic Ocean. She, as SkyAviationHoldings.com puts it, "broke down barriers and inspired generations of women to pursue their dreams." Her adventurous and inspirational life fuels countless conspiracy theories and speculations. Now, scientists are closer to solving the mystery concerning her death.

In 1937, Amelia Earhart, alongside with navigator Fred Noonan, attempted to complete a flight around the globe. The aviator would have been the first woman to achieve this. However, on 2 July, near the end of the flight, about 2,000 miles southwest of Hawaii, Earhart and Noonan lost the radio contact. Their bodies and plane were never found, despite the in-depth searching in the area. So far, no one knows what happened to the aviators. However, this may finally change thanks to the discovery of the deep-sea exploration team working on the case.

Deep Sea Vision, a company from Charleston, South Carolina, skanned more than 5,200 square miles of the Pacific Ocean since September 2023. Analyzing data taken by an underwater drone in December, the scientists came across a blurred plane-like shape. The data was taken about 100 miles from Howland Island, the midpoint between Hawaii and Australia.

The team posted the sonar images on their social media. The photos are complemented by a short note: "Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan took off from Papua New Guinea, nearing the end of their record-setting journey around the world never to be seen again. Until today. Deep Sea Vision found what appears to be Earhart’s Lockheed 10-E Electra."

The research of Deep Sea Vision cost about 11 million dollars. Should the discovery really prove to be Amelia Earhart's aircraft, scientists will have a good reason to celebrate - the effort will certainly pay off.

Sources: CBSNews.com, NBCNews.com, SkyAviationHoldings.com