Did Amelia Earhart survive her crash landing? A newly discovered photo suggests Earhart did not die in a crash landing in 1937.
Amelia Earhart, the legendary first female pilot and the feminist icon who disappeared 80 years ago while attempting an around-the-world flight, is said to have survived a crash landing in the Marshall Islands, located in the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and the Philippines.
The black-and-white photograph shows a woman sitting with her back facing the camera, on what appears to be the edge of a dock. The photo shows a woman with short hair, similar to Earhart’s. Also in the photo, there appears to be a man who resembles her navigator, Fred Noonan. The photo will be featured in a History Channel documentary special called “Amelia Earhart: The Lost Evidence,” which premieres Sunday.
The documentary proposes the idea that Amelia Earhart is sitting on a dock looking in the direction of a large ship pulling a barge containing the remains of her crashed aircraft.
The photograph appears to be original and does not have any signs of manipulation. Former executive assistant director for the FBI and NBC news analyst Shawn Henry is sure the photograph shows Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan.
“When you pull out, and when you see the analysis that’s been done, I think it leaves no doubt to the viewers that that’s Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan,” Henry told NBC News.
Facial recognition expert Ken Gibson analyzed the photo and matched the features from other photos of Earhart and Noonan with the features in the found photo and told NBC News the evidence is “convincing.”
A further investigation done by the History Channel reveals the photo may have been taken by a U.S. or Japanese spy, which could explain why the photo appears to be taken candidly and from a distance.
If Amelia Earhart is in the photo, it supports the theory that she and her navigator Fred Noonan were captured and taken into custody by the Japanese; however, there is no clear idea about how she died.
