Government releases newly declassified Amelia Earhart disappearance records from National Archives

Newly unsealed government records related to famed American aviator Amelia Earhart have been made public.

The U.S. National Archives released 4,624 pages related to the disappearance of Earhart on the Electra on Friday.

A variety of documents detail Earhart's last known communications, maps, tables and logs.

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Her last communication was documented on July 2, 1937, the day of her disappearance over the Pacific. It reads, "We are on the line 157 337 wl rept msg we wl rept..."

Among the documents released is the U.S. Navy report of the search for Amelia Earhart from 1937.

The report began immediately after Earhart's last transmission; it spanned 16 days, until July 18, 1937.

Earhart's last confirmed radio transmission was reaffirmed in the report at 1912 GMT near 157° east longitude, 337° south latitude.

The report details the search by USS Colorado and USS Lexington that covered nearly 250,000 square miles of the Pacific. PBY-1 seaplanes, meanwhile, searched a 25,000-square-mile region of the ocean daily.

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Four distinct areas were noted as potential landing sites, along with speculation notes.

McKean Island was mentioned as having a "recent disturbance of guano surface," while Gardner Island (Nikumaroro) showed "signs of habitation or fire marks."

Purdue University recently delayed an expedition to search for Amelia Earhart's missing plane in Nikumaroro to next year, due to issues with permits, as well as hurricane season concerns.

McKean Reef contained "unusual debris," while the search team saw a "dark object, possibly wreckage," at Sydney Island Lagoon.

A section of the Navy report notes there were seven credible distress signals detected between July 2 and July 6.

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Two were logged near Gardner Island - in support of the Nikumaroro theory.

Lockheed Electra performance charts show the Navy recalculated Earhart's fuel endurance at 20 hours and 13 minutes.

Under this calculation, her expected flight time was extended by nearly 40 minutes beyond the initial Coast Guard estimate, speculating that Earhart could have passed Howland.

The report also reaffirmed that the Navy found no confirmed aircraft debris. 

It stated, "No evidence of aircraft remains was discovered within the search radius."

A memo dated Nov. 18, 1936, also shows the Navy's request to assist in refueling Earhart's airplane ahead of her planned world flight in 1937.

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"The Navy Department will cooperate in refueling the airplane of Miss Amelia Earhart ... at Midway Island, and undertake such other operations as are required to prepare for and carry out this task," it reads.

In addition, various documents show that Earhart's husband, George Putnam, was also her manager. He communicated with the Navy on matters of the trip.

The Navy was not funding Earhart's trip, but it was authorized to assist with logistical aid.

Another document shows a translated diplomatic letter from Japan after Earhart's disappearance.

"Japan wishes to express her most profound condolences for the Earhart tragedy," the message says.

"She does so on behalf of both the government and the people."

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It continues, "The South Seas Islands Government Office has ordered all ships, stations and sentinels near the Marshall Islands, the suspected scene of the accident, to give every possible assistance in discovering the lost plane."

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced the release of the Earhart documents on X. She added that as agencies identify additional files, those documents will be released on a rolling basis.

"Delivering on President [Donald] Trump's promise, the release of the Amelia Earhart files will shine light on the disappearance of a beloved American aviator who has been at the center of public inquisition for decades," she said in a statement last week.