A 17-person expedition searching for Amelia Earhart’s missing plane has arrived at Nikumaroro Island, where researchers plan to investigate an unexplained feature identified in satellite imagery. Purdue University announced the team’s arrival after a five-day voyage across the Pacific.
The expedition is focused on the so-called Taraia Object. Some researchers believe the feature could be the Lockheed Electra flown by Earhart, who disappeared with navigator Fred Noonan in 1937 during an attempt to fly around the world. The possibility remains unconfirmed.
The crew arrived after sunset and postponed fieldwork until morning. Purdue said initial work would include moving equipment ashore, clearing vegetation and setting up staging areas. The team planned to establish access to the lagoon and cut a trail through jungle toward the southern area, before shifting its focus to the Taraia Peninsula on Oct. 14.
Expedition leader Rick Pettigrew described the prospect of examining the object as rewarding and said the team hopes the work could help resolve the disappearance. The statement reflects the expedition’s goals; it does not establish that the object is Earhart’s aircraft.
Purdue has historical ties to Earhart, who served the university as a career counselor and adviser to women students in the 1930s. The Purdue Research Foundation also helped finance her Electra. The university became involved in the current search after Pettigrew approached the foundation in 2025.
A Purdue spokesperson previously told Fox News Digital that a full-scale archaeological excavation could be considered next year if the object proves to be the plane and the team obtains the necessary permissions. No identification or excavation approval has been reported.
