Brief
Purdue team tackles giant crabs while hunting Amelia Earhart’s plane on Nikumaroro
The 17‑person research crew will spend five days probing a lagoon anomaly amid a swarm of giant coconut crabs.
By Felo News Desk · Published
A Purdue University‑backed team of 17 researchers and a 17‑person boat crew arrived on the remote Pacific island of Nikumaroro on Oct. 13 to examine a sonar‑detected object that could be Amelia Earhart’s 1935 Lockheed Electra 10E.
What happened
After spotting the “Taraia Object” in satellite images in 2020, the expedition set out to spend five days on the island’s lagoon edge, using archaeological methods, sonar sweeps and a water‑induction dredge to inspect the submerged shape. The crew will operate from their vessel, sleeping aboard rather than on land because of the island’s notorious coconut crabs (Birgus latro), which can reach a leg span of up to three feet. The crabs, while not dangerous to people, are expected to be a serious nuisance, especially at night.
What the reports add
Gizmodo notes that the expedition must also grapple with an exceptionally strong El Niño, which could limit daily trips from ship to shore. The outlet reports that the crabs’ size and nocturnal activity force the team to avoid overnight stays on the island, a logistical detail not highlighted in earlier Felo coverage.
What was said
"It is incredibly rewarding to be this close to completing our inspection of the Taraia Object and potentially solving, at long last, the outstanding mystery of the disappearance of Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan more than 89 years ago," Rick Pettigrew, executive director of the Archaeological Legacy Institute and expedition leader, said in a statement cited by Gizmodo.
How it came about
The search builds on a series of recent Felo News pieces: a marine team sailed to Kiribati in early October (US marine team sails to Kiribati to probe Amelia Earhart mystery), and the crew landed on Nikumaroro on Oct. 13 (Research team lands on Nikumaroro island to hunt for Amelia Earhart’s lost plane). Those reports described the sonar anomaly and the expedition’s composition, while the current article adds the crab and El Niño challenges.
Key facts
- A Purdue‑backed team of 17 researchers arrived on Nikumaroro on Oct. 13, 2026. (gizmodo.com)
- The crew will spend five days investigating a lagoon anomaly called the Taraia Object. (gizmodo.com)
- Nikumaroro is infested with coconut crabs that can have a leg span of up to three feet. (gizmodo.com)
- El Niño conditions may restrict daily access from ship to shore. (gizmodo.com)
- Rick Pettigrew said the mission could finally solve the Earhart‑Noonan mystery. (gizmodo.com)
Timeline
- 2020-01-01 — Satellite images reveal a plane‑like shape later named the Taraia Object.
- 2026-10-13 — Purdue expedition arrives on Nikumaroro to investigate the object.
- 2026-10-13 — Marine team departs Los Angeles for Nikumaroro.
Sources
- [1] gizmodo.com — originally reported as “Giant, Meat-Eating Crabs Are the Latest Obstacle in the Search for Amelia Earhart's Plane”
