Amelia Earhart Records Released by U.S. Spy AgencyNEWS | 17 November 2025The U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence released long-promised records related to vanished pioneering aviator Amelia Earhart. More records are promised on a rolling basis
I agree my information will be processed in accordance with the Scientific American and Springer Nature Limited Privacy Policy . We leverage third party services to both verify and deliver email. By providing your email address, you also consent to having the email address shared with third parties for those purposes.
In a weekend gift for aviation history fans, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard released National Archives records on Friday related to the search for pioneering aviator Amelia Earhart.
In an attempt to become the first woman pilot to circumnavigate Earth, Earhart, along with navigator Fred Noonan, vanished in 1937 over the Pacific Ocean. The disappearance sparked a now long-standing mystery over her fate. President Donald Trump had ordered this declassification of records related to the search for Earhart in September.
The now-released records include reports, maps and communications tracing Earhart's flight as well as other documents detailing the search after her disappearance. The National Security Agency has also declassified related files and Earhart’s last known communications. The wide-ranging records include a letter from a woman claiming that her mental telepathy indicated Earhart was still alive, and another from a man claiming her grave was located in Spain.
On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
A statement from Gabbard called the release a “first step,” with more records related to Earhart to be released on a rolling basis.Author: Jeanna Bryner. Dan Vergano. Source
