An international research team is preparing to investigate a mysterious underwater object in Nikumaroro Lagoon that could be the wreckage of Amelia Earhart’s lost Lockheed Electra.

Nearly 90 years after Amelia Earhart vanished over the Pacific, an international team of researchers is gearing up for an expedition that could finally solve the century-old mystery of what happened to one of aviation’s most iconic figures.

The focus? A mysterious underwater anomaly known as the “Taraia Object,” resting deep in the lagoon of Nikumaroro Island, a remote coral atoll thousands of miles southwest of Hawaii.

Experts say this strange formation could be the wreckage of Earhart’s Lockheed Electra 10E, the plane she was flying when she disappeared in 1937.

“After decades of searching, this is the first time we have a lead that’s both credible and verifiable,” said Dr. Richard Pettigrew, the lead archaeologist for the expedition set to depart in early November 2025.

Pettigrew and his team will employ the latest underwater imaging technology, magnetometers, and sonar equipment to get an unprecedented look at the object — a shadowy shape first spotted in satellite photos in 2020.

What makes the discovery even more compelling is that this object has appeared in aerial photographs dating back to 1938, just a year after Earhart’s disappearance.

“The fact that the Taraia Object has been visible in the lagoon for over 80 years and remains untouched is remarkable,” Pettigrew explained. “If this is the Electra, it means we are standing on the threshold of a historic breakthrough.”

Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, were attempting to fly around the globe when their Lockheed Electra disappeared on July 2, 1937.

Their planned refueling stop was Howland Island, a tiny speck in the Pacific, but radio transmissions indicated they never made it.

Despite extensive search efforts at the time, no confirmed wreckage was found, fueling decades of speculation and conspiracy theories.

The Nikumaroro hypothesis — that Earhart and Noonan crash-landed on this atoll — has gained momentum over the years thanks to a series of tantalizing clues.

Over the decades, pieces of evidence have been uncovered on Nikumaroro, including a woman’s shoe, fragments of aircraft aluminum, a compact case, a vial of freckle cream, and even bones that some experts speculate might belong to Earhart or Noonan.

“We’ve been gathering data for years,” said Laura Malcom, a forensic anthropologist consulting on the project. “While none of these finds have been definitive on their own, combined they create a strong narrative that these two aviators made it to Nikumaroro.”

The upcoming expedition will be the most thorough investigation yet. Over the course of three weeks, Pettigrew’s team plans to meticulously scan the lagoon, dive to capture high-resolution footage, and even dredge the seabed to recover potential wreckage pieces.

If the wreckage matches the unique features of Earhart’s Lockheed Electra, it would be the first concrete proof of her fate.

“It’s about time we put this to rest,” Pettigrew said, his voice steady but filled with excitement. “For too long, Amelia Earhart’s story has been shrouded in mystery and myth. This expedition is about uncovering the truth.”

Adding another layer to the story is the so-called “Bevington Object,” an image from 1937 taken by an aerial survey team, which appears to show what could be one of Earhart’s plane’s landing gears resting on the reef near Nikumaroro.

While some dismissed it as a natural formation, the renewed interest sparked by the Taraia Object’s discovery has breathed new life into that theory.

“We’re not just chasing shadows,” Malcom emphasized. “These physical clues tie together in a way that’s impossible to ignore.”

The discovery would not only solve a historic mystery but also restore a measure of justice to Earhart’s legacy. Known as a trailblazer for women in aviation and STEM fields, Earhart’s story continues to inspire generations.

The Purdue Research Foundation, which purchased the plane for Earhart in 1935, has long sought closure, hoping the aircraft would eventually return to their care.

“There’s something poetic about this,” Pettigrew reflected. “Amelia wanted to push boundaries and explore the unknown, and now, nearly a century later, we’re following in her footsteps to uncover what really happened.”

Yet despite the anticipation, many questions remain. How did Earhart and Noonan survive the crash? How long did they live on the island, if at all?

What happened to them after they landed? The answers may lie buried beneath the murky lagoon waters, waiting for this expedition to shine a light.

“There’s a haunting beauty in this story,” Pettigrew said quietly. “Three weeks, one chance — and possibly the greatest discovery in aviation history.”

As the expedition readies its gear and plans the journey to one of the most remote spots on earth, the world waits in suspense.

Will the Taraia Object finally reveal the fate of Amelia Earhart’s last flight? The coming weeks could bring history-changing answers — or deepen the mystery even further.

“We owe it to Amelia, Fred, and all the dreamers who look to the sky,” Pettigrew concluded. “Whatever we find, their story deserves to be told.”

Stay tuned for ongoing updates as this historic expedition unfolds. The mystery of Amelia Earhart’s disappearance may soon enter its final chapter — but only time will tell.