". . . we have man-made objects in a debris field in the place where we'd expect to find it if our theory on the airplane is correct."
News is buzzing today with a statement by researchers that an underwater debris field discovered off the coast of Pacific island, Nikumaroro, may be that of Amelia Earhart's plane.
Certainly some of the items recovered in the underwater search seem to point to that possibility; such as a freckle ointment jar and other articles, dating back to the 1930's that could have been carried by the world renowned aviatrix.
The uninhabited desert island of Nikumaroro lies between Hawaii and Australia. Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan were lost in 1937 as she attempted to circumnavigate the globe around the equator. They were headed toward Howland Island when communication was lost.
Researchers claim there may be evidence that the two may have crashed on Nikumaroro and survived for a time before succumbing to injuries or thirst.
Video of the discovered debris field was taken by The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) during a $2.2 million expedition to Nikumaroro in the Republic of Kiribati, according to a REUTERS report.
TIGHAR director Ric Gillespie cautioned that it's too early to be conclusive. However, he said, ". . .we have man-made objects in a debris field in the place where we'd expect to find it if our theory on the airplane is correct."