Amelia Earhart, one of the most famous American pilots, achieved a track record of being the second person to fly alone continuously across the Atlantic Ocean in May 1932. She was also recognized as the first person to fly solo and non-stop across the continental United States during the same year. However, the aviator's feats were overshadowed by the mystery of her disappearance.

In July 1937, Earhart and her fellow navigator Fred Noonan suddenly disappeared while they were flying over the Pacific Ocean. The flight was an attempt by Earhart to become the world's first female aviator to circle Earth. Following their disappearance, both Earhart and Noonan have been presumed dead more than a year after the US Navy and Coast Guard searched them for 16 days but without success.

Since then, various theories have emerged about what happened to the famed navigator, ranging from scenarios that she was captured and killed by the Japanese to being a spy for the US, eaten by monster coconut crabs on an island, and the simplest notion that she drowned in the Pacific Ocean after crashing her plane.

Amelia Earhart's Plane Found?

Strange Anomaly 16,000 Ft Deep in Pacific Ocean Believed to be Amelia Earhart's Long-Lost Plane
(Photo : Photo by Tomas Martinez on Unsplash)
Amelia Earhart's 1929 Lockheed Vega 5B. In 1939 she fly solo and nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean from Canada to Northern Ireland.

Despite the multitude of theories mentioned, none have been confirmed by the US government to be credible. The prevailing official narrative is that Earhart's aircraft crashed somewhere in the Central Pacific, near Howland Island. Recently, an unprecedented discovery from sonar imagery may have uncovered Earhart's long-lost plane following the detection of a strange anomaly 16,000 feet beneath the Pacific.

According to a deep sea exploration company, Deep Sea Vision, its sonar images indicate a potential plane wreckage that likely belongs to Earhart. However, it is still planning to take more sonar imaging to verify that the wreckage is the aviator's Lockheed 10-E Electra plane. The discovery consists of a team of scientists, including underwater archaeologists and marine robotics experts.

In an Instagram post on January 27, Deep Sea Vision revealed that the search for Earhart made new developments after its 16-person crew and its most advanced underwater drone detected the strange anomaly, which could potentially be Earhart's doomed plane. Despite the groundbreaking discovery, there are no official confirmations yet that the anomaly is the actual aircraft of the female pilot.

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Also Read: What Happened to Amelia Earhart? New Evidence Proves She Survived for Months, Did Not Die of Plane Crash

Coconut Crab Theory

Prior to the sonar imaging revelation, an animal-related theory circulated on the internet depicting the potential fate of Earhart and Noonan. Based on this concept, known as the coconut crab theory, gargantuan-sized crustaceans called coconut crabs may have eaten a dead or dying Amelia Earhart, according to the Smithsonian Magazine in 2013.

The said theory provides insight into the possibility that Earhart did not drown in the Pacific Ocean, but instead crashed on a remote atoll or island called Nikumaroro, where she was eaten by the coconut crabs (Birgus latro). These wild animals are known for their excellent sense of smell and for killing even large birds.

Related Article: Monster Coconut Crabs: Did Giant Land Crabs Kill Missing American Pilot Amelia Earhart?