# Amelia Earhart Search Setback

> New expedition rules out Taraia Object as Earhart’s plane wreckage.
- Title: Amelia Earhart Search Setback · Newsweek | Shortify
- Summary: New expedition rules out Taraia Object as Earhart’s plane wreckage. Expedition found no aircraft wreckage at Nikumaroro, ruling out key theory about Amelia…
- Keywords: amelia earhart, nikumaroro, taraia object, purdue university, archaeological legacy institute, amelia earhart fund, lockheed electra, seahawks, nfl, Amelia, Earhart, Search
- Source: Newsweek — https://newsweek.com/amelia-earhart-search-setback-expedition-rules-out-taraia-object-theory-12586588
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: amelia earhart, nikumaroro, taraia object, purdue university, archaeological legacy institute, amelia earhart fund, lockheed electra, seahawks, nfl
## Expedition Rules Out Taraia Object
New expedition searching for Amelia Earhart’s missing plane ruled out a leading theory about possible wreckage on Nikumaroro.
## Taraia Object Not Aircraft Wreckage
Researchers concluded the feature on Nikumaroro was most likely a collection of large trees deposited along a sandy peninsula.
## Y-Shaped Fragment Found
By the time the team reached the site, much of the debris had broken apart or washed away, leaving a single Y-shaped fragment.
## Expedition Statement
Amelia Earhart’s spirit of courage and curiosity drove every step of the search, said ALI’s executive director Rick Pettigrew.

> Amelia Earhart’s spirit of courage and curiosity drove every step of the search
## Steel Tube Discovered
The expedition uncovered a steel tube approximately 30 inches long in the lagoon, which researchers said would require further study.
## Earhart Disappearance Timeline
Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan disappeared on July 2, 1937, while attempting to fly around the world.
## Taraia Object Identified in 2020
Researcher Michael Ashmore noticed an unusual elongated shape in satellite imagery of Nikumaroro’s lagoon in 2020.
## Expedition Arrives at Nikumaroro
The team arrived at Nikumaroro in October after a five-day sea voyage from Tarawa.
## Expedition Methods
Researchers used maritime archaeological techniques, including a magnetometer and sonar technology, to investigate the lagoon.
## Taraia Object Analysis
The reflective surface was attributed to a carbonate veneer, not metal, and other items had a shiny, hardened coating from coral sand.
## Purdue University Connection
Purdue University has a historical connection to Earhart, as she worked there from 1935 to 1937 as a women’s career counselor.
## Expedition’s Goal
Steve Schultz, Purdue’s general counsel, said the team approached the mission as an investigation rather than to guarantee a particular discovery.

> We set out to test a hypothesis, not to guarantee a particular result
## What Happened Next
The expedition did not resolve the mystery of Earhart and Noonan’s fate, but researchers continue to investigate the broader castaway hypothesis.
## Search Continues
Purdue University pledged to continue the search for Earhart’s plane and remains committed to the castaway hypothesis.
## Key takeaway

Expedition found no aircraft wreckage at Nikumaroro, ruling out key theory about Amelia Earhart’s plane.