Researchers were sure they found Amelia Earhart's plane - and then they arrived at the island

A research expedition arrived at Nikumaroro Island in the Pacific Ocean to examine a large plane-shaped object spotted in satellite images, hoping to find the remains of Amelia Earhart's aircraft. The 17-person expedition sailed for five days to the uninhabited atoll belonging to Kiribati. On-site inspection revealed that the object, nicknamed "Taraya object," was an accumulation of tree trunks and branches washed into the lagoon. The metallic-like sheen was explained as a layer of carbonate deposits. The researchers admitted disappointment but emphasized that the hypothesis was tested. Additional items were found, including a 76 cm steel pipe, but there is no evidence linking them to Earhart. The article notes that this is not the first time a great promise has ended in disappointment, recalling previous expeditions from 2024 and 2019.