The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery, or TIGHAR, claims that Amelia Earhart likely died as a castaway on Gardner Island in the Pacific after her plane went off course and landed nearby.

The disappearance of Amelia Earhart during an attempt to fly around the world in 1937 has long been an unsolved mystery.

Now, an organization called The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery, or TIGHAR, claims that, instead of dying in a crash as some had thought, she and flight navigator Fred Noonan likely ended up as castaways on an island in the Pacific. 

According to its website, TIGHAR believes that the plane landed safely around Gardner Island, and they sent distress calls for several days afterward. 

The group points to evidence of more than 100 of these calls made between July 2nd and 6th, with some reportedly heard in Texas, Florida, and even Melbourne, Australia.

During this time, Earhart and Noonan, if he survived, are believed to have subsisted on rainwater and local wildlife like turtles and fish.

TIGHAR’s website states that, eventually, “Amelia died at a makeshift campsite on the island’s southeast end. Noonan’s fate is unknown.” 

Meanwhile, the plane, named Electra, is believed to lie in the depths of adjacent waters. 

The group plans to conduct a search for the aircraft in the near future.