Government Releases Newly Declassified Records on Amelia Earhart Disappearance

WASHINGTON — The U.S. government has made public a collection of newly declassified documents related to the disappearance of aviator Amelia Earhart, shedding light on the final moments of her 1937 Pacific flight. The records, released from the National Archives, include Earhart’s last known radio transmissions and reports of distress signals detected near Gardner Island, now known as Nikumaroro.

The files provide additional context to one of aviation’s most enduring mysteries, offering evidence that Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, may have been in distress near the remote island after failing to reach their intended destination of Howland Island. According to authorities, the documents contain transcripts of radio communications intercepted by Coast Guard and Navy vessels, as well as coded messages suggesting a possible emergency situation.

Officials said the newly available information corroborates earlier reports of faint radio signals believed to have originated from Earhart’s aircraft. These signals were reportedly picked up by ships patrolling the Pacific, raising hopes at the time that the aviator might have survived a forced landing on or near Gardner Island.

The disappearance of Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan during their attempt to circumnavigate the globe by air has been the subject of numerous investigations and theories over the decades. Earhart’s Lockheed Electra vanished on July 2, 1937, after departing from Lae, Papua New Guinea, with Howland Island as the next stop. Despite extensive search efforts by the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard, no definitive trace of the plane or its occupants was found.

The newly declassified documents include detailed logs from naval vessels and radio operators, as well as reports from the Coast Guard cutter Itasca, which was assigned to assist Earhart’s flight. These records show that the Itasca received several faint and fragmented transmissions that appeared to be coming from Earhart’s plane, but the exact location of the signals was never confirmed.

Archivists and historians noted that the release of these files does not resolve all questions surrounding Earhart’s fate but adds valuable primary source material for ongoing research. The documents may help clarify the sequence of events during the final hours of the flight and provide insight into the challenges faced by Earhart and Noonan as they navigated the vast Pacific Ocean.

The National Archives emphasized that the release aligns with efforts to increase transparency and make historical government records accessible to the public. Researchers and enthusiasts have long sought access to these materials to better understand the circumstances of Earhart’s disappearance.

Amelia Earhart remains a pioneering figure in aviation history, celebrated for her achievements and her role in advancing women’s participation in the field. The new records contribute to the enduring legacy of her life and the ongoing quest to uncover the truth about her final journey.