Amelia Earhart experts reveals 'why her plane is not in Nikumaroro' despite claim aircraft has been 'found'

An expert who has spent over 20 years researching the disappearance of Amelia Earhart has revealed why he doesn't think her aircraft is in Nikumaroro, despite claims it has been 'discovered'.

Almost 90 years ago, Earhart disappeared while flying across the Pacific Ocean in a Lockheed Electra.

She had been travelling across the globe alongside navigator Fred Noonan when the pair vanished and were never heard from again.

What happened to Amelia Earhart?

At the end of June, Earhart and Noonan landed in Lae, New Guinea, and had just 7,000 miles (11,000 km) of their journey left to go, all of which would be over the Pacific Ocean.

However, after they set off from Lae on 2 July 1937, they were never heard from again. The pair had planned on stopping at Howland Island on the way to Hawaii to refuel, but they never made it.

Amelia Earhart went missing in 1937 (Bettmann/Getty Images)

Many believe the most likely explanation is that they ran out of fuel and crashed into the Pacific Ocean.

Final radio transmissions back this up, with Earhart warning about poor weather conditions and the aircraft being low on fuel.

"We must be on you, but we cannot see you," she was heard saying over the radio. "Fuel is running low. Been unable to reach you by radio. We are flying at 1,000 feet."

A two-week search ensued, costing around $4 million, which equates to around $100 million (£73 million) today.

There's no conclusive evidence of exactly what happened, but there are several theories.

What do the experts think?

Purdue University recently confirmed they are launching a new investigation following satellite images taken in 2015, which appeared to show Earhart's missing plane on Nikumaroro Island, in the western Pacific.

The satellite photo showed what looked to be the shape of the explorer's plane sticking out through the sand.

There's also some other evidence, including personal items like a freckle cream discovered on the island.

Richard Pettigrew, the executive director of the Archaeological Legacy Institute in Oregon, said that the size of the object matches her plane, and that the location on her planned flight path is where four of her emergency radio calls were made that night.

Meanwhile, Captain Justin Myers, who's been a pilot for 25 years, believes he knows the exact location of the crash, thanks to Google Earth.

Earhart and Noonan never returned from their flight (Bettmann/Getty Images)

When scouring the island on the app, he zoomed into a 'dark coloured perfectly straight object' on the island's east coast, measured at 12 metres, which is the same length as Earhart's aircraft.

He then found a 'perfect half exposed radial engine measuring 4-4.5ft in diameter', as well as a wheel.

"The bottom line is, from my interests from a child in vintage aircraft and air crash investigation, I can say that is what was once a 12-metre, 2-engine vintage aircraft. What I can't say is that is definitely Amelia's Electra," he said. "If this is not Amelia's Electra 10 E, then it's the answer to another mystery that has never been answered."

Despite the investigation, Earhart expert Chris Williamson - who is the host of the Chasing Earhart podcast as well as the author of Rabbit Hole: The Vanishing of Amelia Earhart & Fred Noonan - believes that Earhart's plane is not on Nikumaroro, but on a totally different island in the Pacific.

What does Williamson think?

Some experts believe Earhart's plane is on Nikumaroro (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

"Nikumaroro has had over 13 official expeditions to the island (several of them have covered the exact lagoon to differing degrees)," Williamson told LADbible. "Frankly, I don't think it's there, but not because of any malice or personal ideas. While I will always support any line of theory or work that could lead us closer to finality for this case, I also feel that too much time, effort and money has been sunk into Niku with no tangible result, over an almost 40-year period.

"As you are probably aware, this case is massive over its 90-year long life. I truly feel that if the Electra was there, it would have made itself known. I, of course, will be very excited to hear the results of the upcoming expedition."

Williamson believes that right now, the evidence points to Buka Island, which is in the southwestern region of the Pacific.

"I have always believed that in these historical mystery cases, you follow the evidence, wherever it leads," said Williamson. "For me, right now, the evidence points to Buka. We have an aircraft sitting in a little over 100 feet of water that bears remarkable similarities to Earhart's Electra. It's not something we have to look for, it's not theory - it's there.

Williamson believes the plane is on Buka (Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)

"People have put their hands on it. Unfortunately, it's located in one of the worst nautical environments possible - which has not been good for the plane. It's wrapped in coral and likely not retrievable.

"However, according to the theory, the left engine separated on the crash landing and that, we can get to. We're attempting to put an expedition together now, that will be the case's first ever cross theory expedition.

"We have [aerospace company] Pratt & Whitney on board (who made Amelia's Lockheed Electra WASP engines) and we're hoping to finally identify the wreck site at Buka as being that of Amelia and Fred's lost Electra. If not, then well, we're back to square one."

The aircraft on Buka was discovered in 2018 by a group of divers who said it matched certain characteristics of Earhart's plane.

According to reports, in the 1930s, a young boy told his family that he had witnessed a plane crashing onto a beach with its left wing on fire. The plane was dragged underwater by the tide, and has remained there - unaccounted for - ever since.