Canfield man convinced bones found in 1940 are those of Amelia Earhart
For decades, the disappearance of Amelia Earhart has fascinated historians and researchers. New analysis recently documented suggests bones that were found back in 1940, are very likely to be the remains of Earhart.
CANFIELD TWP., Ohio - For decades, the disappearance of Amelia Earhart has fascinated historians and researchers. New analysis recently documented suggests bones that were found back in 1940, are very likely to be the remains of Earhart.
It's an exciting revelation for Canfield's Chuck Creager who has poured the last five years of his life into researching the mystery.
"I guess I've always been fascinated by Amelia Earhart," said Creager.
Exactly where Amelia Earhart's plane vanished is a decades-old mystery, but Creager, who belongs to the group TIGHAR, The International Group for Historical Aircraft Recovery, believes Earhart landed her plane on Nikumaroro Island, also known as Gardner Island.
"Gardner Island did have a reef which was long enough and she was almost out of fuel, she could have landed there, we believe strongly that she did," Creager said.
Bones were found on Nikumaroro Island in 1940, but experts determined they belonged to a man. The bones have since disappeared, but the measurements are still around and based on analysis of Earhart pictures and those measurements by Dr. Richard Jantz, he recently determined the remains are very likely Earhart's.
"I wasn't surprised," said Creager.
Two years ago, Creager went to Nikumaroro Island to observe and help an expedition team for Tighar. Artifacts found on the island support the possibility the bones came from Earhart.
"We found a woman's shoe that would have fit her, we found part of a compact. We found the campsites where a woman made a fire and was eating shellfish and the shellfish were opened in such a way that a native would not have," said Creager.
Creager says they tried to find the plane. They believe the storms that happen often, took the plane off the reef and into deep waters, which are five to six thousand feet deep.
He says they are convinced a woman of European descent was on Nikumaroro Island at the time Earhart disappeared.
This woman would have survived a few weeks on shellfish and so on and we know of no other woman in that part of the Pacific in those years," said Creager. "She sent out signals for four days, a number of people picked them up. The Navy and Coast Guard sent out search planes but they weren't very thorough."
Creager said when he went two years ago, they tried to find the plane. They believe the storms that happen often, took the plane off the reef and into deep waters, which are five to six thousand feet deep.
If true, the findings by Dr. Jantz could be the final puzzle that has fascinated generations including Chuck Creager.
"Just the measurements of the bones, he is convinced. If he's convinced, I'm convinced," Creager said.
