Amelia Earhart’s Aircraft Found? New Shocking Images Emerge

By Asheea Smith

(Photo : Getty Images) (Original Caption) Amelia Earhart Putnam, first lady of the air, plans to fly solo from Hawaii to the United States, according to an announcement recently made. The date of the projected hop has not been set definitely. Photo shows Amelia Earhart in the Lockheed Wasp-powered Vega plane, which will be shipped to Hawaii on the S.S. Lurline from which it is expected Miss Earhart will attempt the long distance flight.

New details have emerged in recent weeks regarding groundbreaking American aviation pioneer, Amelia Earhart who disappeared at the peak of her fame in 1937 during a quest to take a trip around the world.

Former US Air Force Intelligence Officer and pilot Tony Romeo — who sold all of his commercial properties to fund a deep sea exploration company — told 'The Wall Street Journal' he may have found the craft laying at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.

In December, the team reviewed the sonar data captured by the deep sea drone, revealing fuzzy images of what Romano believes is Earhart's twin-engine Lockheed Electra aircraft.

"Well, you'd be hard pressed to convince me that's anything but an aircraft, for one. And two, that it's not Amelia's aircraft," he told 'TODAY.'

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Romano described this possible discovery, laying 16,000 feet under water, as a "surreal moment."

Sonar experts said it may be too soon to declare that the discovery is in fact a plane, but that it's an exciting discovery worth circling back to for confirmation.

The image was found about 100 miles from Howland Island, the precise island Earhart, 39, and fellow navigation pilot, Fred Noonan were expected to stop for refueling, but never arrived.

(Photo : Getty Images) 11th June 1937: : American aviatrix Amelia Earhart (1897 - 1937) with her navigator, Captain Fred Noonan, in the hangar at Parnamerim airfield, Natal, Brazil, 11th June 1937. Together they are attempting a circumnavigation of the globe. (Photo by Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)

Earhart was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic and the first to fly from Hawaii to the mainland U.S. She was described as athletic and active, who played on the basketball team, attended college, and enrolled in an auto repair course.

During World War I, she served as Red Cross' nurses aid where she would spend time watching pilots in the Royal Flying Corp. train in Toronto, Canada.

After setting various records in female aviation, she set her heart on a journey to fly around the globe in June 1937.

(Photo : Getty Images) Amelia Earhart stands in front of her airplane.

The last time she would be seen alive was July 2. It was believed she ran out of fuel near Howland Island, and crashed into the ocean. Her wreck was never found.

Romeo's follow-up exploration is due to take off by the end of this year.