Amelia Earhart’s Disappearance – 
One of History’s Greatest Mysteries

Amelia Earhart became an international celebrity for her flying achievements. She was the first woman to fly the Atlantic Ocean solo (and the first person to do it twice), the first woman to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross, and fly nonstop coast-to-coast across the U.S. Yet it was her sudden disappearance in 1937 that has captivated people for decades.

In 1936, Earhart began planning to circle the globe. Though this wasn’t the first attempt, it would be longest – at 29,000 miles, following the equator. She had a special plane – a Lockheed Electra 10E – built specifically for the trip.

Following plane issues on the first attempt, Earhart set out on June 1, 1937, from Miami, Florida. By the end of June, she’d traveled about 22,000 miles. In the early morning hours of July 2, she departed Lae, New Guinea. But as she traveled to her next destination, her contacts on the ground discovered she couldn’t hear them and couldn’t find their location. Her last known transmission came at 8:43 that morning. Search efforts began within an hour and lasted until July 19, though her husband continued searching long after that.

Many have speculated what may have happened to Earhart. The most widely accepted theory is that her plane ran out of fuel and crashed into the ocean. Others believe she may have landed the plane on a nearby uninhabited island. Her fate is still unknown today and remains one of the world’s most peculiar unsolved mysteries.

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