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Giant, meat-eating coconut crabs are causing unexpected complications for researchers searching for Amelia Earhart's missing plane on remote Nikumaroro Island in the Republic of Kiribati. The team, led by Purdue University and Archaeological Legacy Institute, arrived at Nikumaroro after a five-day Pacific voyage to investigate an underwater anomaly known as the Taraia Object, which some believe could be the wreckage of Earhart's Lockheed Electra aircraft.
The 17-person expedition, which reached the island on Monday evening, planned to begin their search the following morning. Instead of sleeping on the island, the crew is staying aboard their research vessel each night. This decision was made because giant coconut crabs—also called robber crabs—roam Nikumaroro after dark and pose safety risks with their powerful claws.
The team is using magnetometers and sonar to examine the Taraia Object, which has appeared in aerial photos as early as 1938. If the object is confirmed to be Earhart's plane, a larger archaeological dig will follow, and Purdue University intends to display any recovered artifacts.
The mission faces additional challenges from unpredictable sea conditions, shifting tides, and weather influenced by El Niño, which limit landing opportunities each day. The team expects to provide updates and possibly announce initial findings around October 16.
For now, the crew continues their search, cautiously returning to their ship every night to avoid the island’s formidable crabs while hoping to solve one of aviation’s greatest mysteries.