This is one step closer to finding the answer to the mysterious disappearance of Amelia Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, in 1937.

Amelia was on her record attempt to circle the globe along the equator when her plane vanished. The two were trying to reach Howland Island, which is 350 miles away from where the piece of her plane was found, on Nikumaroro atoll.

Although found in 1991, there has been much investigation around the piece of debris, to make sure it actually is from her plane.

The rivet pattern and other features on the 19-inch-wide by 23-inch-long Nikumaroro artifact matched the patch and lined up with the structural components of the Lockheed Electra.

The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) have been doing research, and can say “to a high degree” that it is from Amelia’s twin-engined Lockheed Electra.

The breakthrough would prove that, contrary to what was generally believed, Earhart and Noonan, did not crash in the Pacific Ocean, running out of fuel somewhere near their target destination of Howland Island. Instead, they made a forced landing on Nikumaroro’ smooth, flat coral reef. The two became castaways and eventually died on the atoll, which is some 350 miles southeast of Howland Island.

Ah, how I enjoy a good mystery.

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