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Amelia Earhart Disappearance
On July 2, 1937, pioneer aviator Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan vanished over the Pacific Ocean during an attempt to circumnavigate the globe. Despite the largest air and sea search in history, no trace was found. Theories range from crash to capture to survival on an island.
1937
Pacific Ocean
0 Aviation’s greatest mystery remains unsolved.
The Flight
July 2, 1937:
- Round-the-world attempt
- Final leg to Howland Island
- Lockheed Electra aircraft
- Fred Noonan navigator
- Last radio contact 8:43 AM
The Last Transmission
What was heard:
- “We are on the line 157-337”
- Fuel running low
- Could not see island
- Static and silence
- Then nothing
The Search
Massive effort:
- Largest search in history
- US Navy and Coast Guard
- 9 ships, 66 aircraft
- 16 days of searching
- $4 million spent (1937)
The Theories
What happened:
- Crashed into ocean (official)
- Landed on Nikumaroro Island
- Captured by Japanese
- Assumed new identity
- Still debated
The Evidence
Later discoveries:
- Bones found 1940 (lost)
- Artifacts on Nikumaroro
- Sonar images (2024)
- Possible aircraft debris
- Inconclusive
The Legacy
Cultural impact:
- Most famous aviator
- Symbol of adventure
- Ongoing expeditions
- Books and films
- Mystery endures