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20261011 030000 UTC
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[00:00:13] Live from Washington. This is
[00:00:14] BBC News. A Saudi led coalition says
[00:00:18] says it will respond firmly to a a deadly attack by Houthis on an
[00:00:22] an international airport in Riyadh.
[00:00:24] Riyadh. President Trump says Ukraine Ukraine needs a new president in
[00:00:28] in a scathing attack on Volodymyr Volodymyr Zelensky. Zelensky could
[00:00:32] could have settled this war many
[00:00:34] many times, many, many times. And
[00:00:36] And he chose he chooses not to. And
[00:00:40] And could this object solve one of of history's greatest mysteries?
[00:00:44] mysteries? We'll hear from the team team making the journey across the
[00:00:47] the Pacific to see if this could
[00:00:49] could be Amelia Earhart's lost plane.
[00:01:00] plane. I'm Helena Humphrey. Good Good to have you with us. 12 people
[00:01:03] people are dead, including an American American citizen and four Saudi nationals.
[00:01:07] nationals. After Yemen's Houthi group group attacked a passenger terminal
[00:01:11] terminal at the Riyadh International International Airport in Saudi Arabia.
[00:01:14] Arabia. More than 300 people were were injured. The Saudis are accusing
[00:01:17] accusing the Houthis of a full-fledged
[00:01:20] full-fledged war crime and vowing vowing to respond. We've had reaction
[00:01:23] reaction from the US Secretary of of State Marco Rubio on social media,
[00:01:27] media, he said. The United States
[00:01:29] States condemned the attacks, adding, adding, quote, these reprehensible
[00:01:32] reprehensible attacks demonstrate demonstrate a blatant disregard for
[00:01:34] for innocent civilian life. They
[00:01:37] They must stop now. We stand with with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
[00:01:40] Arabia and its people and extend
[00:01:41] extend our condolences to the victims
[00:01:44] victims and their families. Well, Well, this is a live look at air air traffic over the Saudi capital
[00:01:48] capital there in the centre of your your screen. Hundreds of flights
[00:01:50] flights have either been cancelled cancelled or diverted. And in light
[00:01:54] light of Saturday's attack, US President President Donald Trump was asked
[00:01:57] asked if he would join Saudi Arabia's Arabia's strikes on the Houthis.
[00:02:00] Houthis. Here's what he told reporters.
[00:02:03] reporters. Well, you're going to to find out, but I think it's terrible.
[00:02:06] terrible. Well, they're able to defend. defend. Look, the Saudis are good
[00:02:09] good fighters. But I think the attack attack was a terrible thing. What
[00:02:13] What happened in Saudi Arabia is
[00:02:15] is not acceptable. Thank you. Hussein Hussein Ibish is a senior resident
[00:02:19] resident scholar at the Arab Gulf Gulf States Institute. And I asked
[00:02:22] asked him how serious he sees the
[00:02:24] the escalation as being. Well, I
[00:02:26] I think it's extremely serious. It's It's mostly serious for the war between
[00:02:30] between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia,
[00:02:33] Arabia, which has become an all out out war in recent weeks. And this
[00:02:37] this is going to put major pressure pressure on the Saudi government
[00:02:41] government to intensify their efforts
[00:02:43] efforts to push the Houthis back
[00:02:45] back in, not just in southern Yemen, Yemen, away from the Bab Al-mandab
[00:02:48] Al-mandab choke point, which is sort
[00:02:51] sort of the southern equivalent of
[00:02:53] of the Strait of Hormuz. It's a major major international shipping chokepoint
[00:02:57] chokepoint leading up to the Red
[00:02:59] Red Sea and the Suez Canal, but also
[00:03:02] also protecting the Saudi homeland homeland from strikes from Yemen.
[00:03:06] Yemen. This is very serious. It's It's the certainly the deadliest
[00:03:10] deadliest attack conducted by any any member of the pro-Iranian coalition.
[00:03:14] coalition. It's not an attack directly
[00:03:16] directly by Iran, but the Houthis
[00:03:18] Houthis are an ally of Iran. And
[00:03:21] And they rely on Iran for weaponry
[00:03:26] weaponry and intelligence guidance, guidance, training, all that stuff.
[00:03:29] stuff. So it's a major escalation
[00:03:32] escalation on in the US war with
[00:03:34] with Iran as well. So yeah, it's
[00:03:37] it's a very serious, very dramatic dramatic event, no question. President
[00:03:41] President Trump was asked earlier earlier today about this attack.
[00:03:43] attack. He said that they will assess assess the options when it comes
[00:03:47] comes to joining strikes against against the Houthis. What do you
[00:03:50] you make of that? Do you think the
[00:03:52] the US will get involved militarily?
[00:03:55] militarily? Probably not. It's possible
[00:03:56] possible the US might get involved
[00:03:59] involved in a limited way and strikes strikes against the Houthis, but
[00:04:02] but more likely the US would provide
[00:04:05] provide Saudi Arabia with increased increased ballistic missile defences.
[00:04:09] defences. This attack shows a real
[00:04:13] real weakness in the American sort
[00:04:16] sort of protection zone around Gulf Gulf countries, which has been you
[00:04:19] you know, the Gulf countries have
[00:04:21] have sustained enormous hits. The
[00:04:24] The biggest group of attacks by Iran
[00:04:26] Iran has been on the UAE. I think
[00:04:30] think over 50% of their attacks have have been on that one country alone.
[00:04:32] alone. And then you've got Kuwait, Kuwait, Qatar, etc all struck. Saudi
[00:04:36] Saudi Arabia itself struck and now
[00:04:39] now struck in a very major and deadly deadly way inside Saudi Arabia at
[00:04:43] at its international airport. And And so I think what you would probably
[00:04:46] probably see without doubt is American
[00:04:48] American efforts to shore up Saudi
[00:04:50] Saudi Arabia's anti-missile system, system, Anti-drone and anti-missile
[00:04:54] anti-missile defences, because and and this shows a real weakness in
[00:04:59] in that regard. And the US is sort
[00:05:02] sort of regarded and presents itself itself as a major guarantor against
[00:05:05] against that. So it's got to act act in that regard. I think they
[00:05:09] they might get involved a little little bit in strikes against the
[00:05:13] the Houthis, but in a very limited limited way because they don't want
[00:05:15] want to be dragged into a you know, know, the Saudi Houthi war in a major
[00:05:19] major way. And so far the Houthis Houthis one thing they have done
[00:05:23] done is been restrained in the Bab Bab Al-mandab by only striking Saudi
[00:05:27] Saudi shipping. They have not closed closed the strait down by striking
[00:05:30] striking all different kinds of international international shipping. If they did
[00:05:34] did that, then you would have a repeat
[00:05:37] repeat of the crisis in the Strait
[00:05:39] Strait of Hormuz in the south of of the Arabian Peninsula, another
[00:05:42] another major choke point. I don't don't think the US wants that. So
[00:05:45] So it's got to be very careful. And And the mid-terms are coming up.
[00:05:48] up. So Trump will want to be very
[00:05:50] very careful about what he does after
[00:05:53] after the mid-terms. In a few weeks
[00:05:55] weeks he might be feel a little more
[00:05:58] more free to use US military force.
[00:06:00] force. President Trump has doubled doubled down on his call for Ukraine
[00:06:04] Ukraine to have an election and replace
[00:06:06] replace Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian Ukrainian president had earlier criticised
[00:06:09] criticised a new US deal to import import Russian diesel that sparked
[00:06:13] sparked the ire of the US leader, leader, and today he called for Ukraine
[00:06:17] Ukraine to get a new leader. Will Will Russia welcome the US criticism
[00:06:20] criticism of Zelensky with a top
[00:06:22] top Kremlin negotiator calling Trump's
[00:06:24] Trump's remarks, quote, iconic and and historic in the last few hours,
[00:06:28] hours, President Trump repeated his his comments and said President Zelensky
[00:06:32] Zelensky could have made a deal. deal. Well, I think he should have
[00:06:35] have an election and he could have
[00:06:37] have settled this thing many times times and
[00:06:44] And he should have an election and he can't raise the price of oil. oil. He's done enough. This is a
[00:06:48] a war that should have never happened. happened. Ukraine, Russia should should have never happened. If I I were president, it never would
[00:06:52] would have happened. But President President Zelensky could have solved
[00:06:54] solved this war or he could have
[00:06:57] have made a deal. Many times I've
[00:06:59] I've been there. And our Ukraine Ukraine correspondent Dan Johnson
[00:07:02] Johnson has more on the reaction
[00:07:04] reaction from Kyiv. Right across
[00:07:06] across Ukraine, there is fury and
[00:07:08] and dismay about the way Donald Trump Trump treats Vladimir Putin, who
[00:07:12] who started this war compared to to Volodymyr Zelensky, who they feel
[00:07:15] feel is just trying to defend his his nation. There's a sense this
[00:07:19] this is all about fuel prices, the
[00:07:20] the war in Iran and Donald Trump Trump having something positive to
[00:07:24] to present to the American people people ahead of the mid-term elections.
[00:07:28] elections. And there are angry voices
[00:07:29] voices in America echoing that too.
[00:07:32] too. There have been questions about about Zelensky's approach at times,
[00:07:35] times, but there's nothing that unites unites Ukrainians like this sort
[00:07:38] sort of slapdown from the US President. President. And we have seen that
[00:07:42] that before. Ukraine will cling to
[00:07:45] to the allies, that it believes it it can truly rely on. And Zelensky
[00:07:48] Zelensky said he'd had a very good
[00:07:50] good and timely phone call with Andy Andy Burnham this evening. Downing
[00:07:54] Downing Street says the Prime Minister
[00:07:57] Minister reiterated British solidarity solidarity and committed to tougher
[00:08:01] tougher sanctions on Russia. The The harsh reality is that Ukraine
[00:08:05] Ukraine relies on US intelligence intelligence and weaponry. The Russian
[00:08:08] Russian hypersonic missiles that that were heading towards Kyiv this
[00:08:11] this afternoon were only shot down
[00:08:13] down by US made Patriot interceptors, interceptors, and Ukraine needs more
[00:08:17] more of those to protect its cities.
[00:08:19] cities. So although this row is blazing
[00:08:21] blazing and it has derailed the talks talks in America this weekend that
[00:08:25] that were supposed to start looking
[00:08:27] looking for an end to this war, the
[00:08:29] the harsh reality is that the relationship relationship with the White House
[00:08:33] House really matters, and it will will have to be rebuilt all over
[00:08:36] over again. Well, I've been speaking speaking to Olga Khakova senior adviser
[00:08:40] adviser and fellow at the centre centre for European Policy Analysis.
[00:08:43] Analysis. I asked her how significant significant this deal is and how
[00:08:46] how it would make a difference to
[00:08:47] to diesel prices in the United States.
[00:08:50] States. The release barely covers covers a full day. It's slightly
[00:08:54] slightly over half of what US uses
[00:08:58] uses in diesel demand in one day, day, so it's a drop in the bucket
[00:09:01] bucket in terms of the global diesel diesel supplies. And I think there
[00:09:05] there are tremendous uncertainties uncertainties in terms of what Russia
[00:09:07] Russia will be able to continue releasing. releasing. There is a reason why
[00:09:11] why this deal did not include you
[00:09:13] you know, daily volumes because Russia Russia is really struggling. Russia
[00:09:16] Russia actually imported diesel from
[00:09:19] from countries like Belarus and they
[00:09:20] they are really struggling to pare
[00:09:23] pare down their reserves to meet meet to do this political theatre,
[00:09:26] theatre, to meet this demand, this this promise. But it is very likely
[00:09:29] likely that they will be able to
[00:09:30] to deliver on any future diesel
[00:09:35] exports. So, Olga, you have characterised characterised this as but a drop drop in the bucket. Let's talk about
[00:09:38] about briefly. I mean, what all of of this has led to and that is President
[00:09:42] President Zelensky's criticism of of the deal. President Trump hitting
[00:09:45] hitting back saying that the Ukrainian Ukrainian president has to go. How
[00:09:48] How do you read all of this? How
[00:09:51] How serious is it? Look, tensions tensions are high. But we've been
[00:09:54] been here before in terms of high
[00:09:56] high tensions and then a positive positive resolution between the United
[00:10:00] United States in Ukraine. A Ukrainian Ukrainian president, whether Zelensky
[00:10:02] Zelensky or anyone else has a mandate
[00:10:05] mandate to protect the country at
[00:10:07] at all costs and use all available
[00:10:10] available tools because Ukraine has has a massive shortage of patriots,
[00:10:13] patriots, which are the only way way to protect Ukraine from having
[00:10:17] having all of its critical energy energy and other critical infrastructure
[00:10:21] infrastructure destroyed this winter. winter. The President is continuing
[00:10:24] continuing with this strategy that's that's mandated by the people. So
[00:10:27] So even if Zelensky goes and someone someone else is in his place, you
[00:10:30] you know, people will demand this this strategy to go after Russia's
[00:10:33] Russia's revenues. You know, let's let's use this diesel deal as an
[00:10:36] an example. Even just half a day
[00:10:38] day or a full day of US., let's say,
[00:10:41] say, diesel consumption just for for volumes. That's about $1 million.
[00:10:44] million. You know, it's a drop in in the bucket in global supplies,
[00:10:47] supplies, but that's about $1 billion billion that goes towards Russia's
[00:10:51] Russia's ability to, you know, produce
[00:10:54] produce manufacture, shelf tanks,
[00:10:57] tanks, recruits, recruit additional, additional, you know, people into
[00:11:00] into their towards their army to to towards the aggression. And I
[00:11:03] I think, you know, we think of the the situation as Russia using this
[00:11:06] this billion dollars just in Ukraine, Ukraine, but it's much bigger than
[00:11:09] than that. Russia and its allies
[00:11:12] allies have launched this massive massive shadow war, and our team
[00:11:15] team has done an amazing work covering covering this. For those who want
[00:11:18] want to learn more. So when we are
[00:11:21] are minimising how much money Putin Putin is putting towards this war
[00:11:25] war machine, we're not only protecting protecting Ukraine, we're also protecting
[00:11:29] protecting ourselves. However, there there is a way forward even out of
[00:11:32] of this really complex situation
[00:11:34] situation of President Trump could
[00:11:37] could secure a ceasefire by leveraging leveraging the Lindsey Graham sanctions
[00:11:41] sanctions and pick up the phone and and talk to President Putin and say,
[00:11:44] say, look, if we if you do not, you
[00:11:47] you know, commit to a ceasefire this this winter, which will be on both
[00:11:51] both sides from Ukraine as well, well, then, you know, we will if
[00:11:54] if you don't follow through on this this ceasefire, we will launch the
[00:11:57] the full power of the Lindsey Graham Graham sanctions, which then goes
[00:12:01] goes after not just Russia, but it
[00:12:02] it also goes after countries that
[00:12:05] that purchase Russian oil and gas.
[00:12:07] gas. Because as you point out, Olga,
[00:12:09] Olga, energy has become so central central in this particular war. But
[00:12:13] But I also wonder about the environment, environment, environmental impact,
[00:12:17] impact, because if countries weren't weren't still so reliant on things
[00:12:20] things like oil, diesel, would energy
[00:12:21] energy be less of a weapon in conflicts
[00:12:24] conflicts like this one? So oil and
[00:12:27] and gas is just one piece of the the broader supply chain, right?
[00:12:30] right? We have reliance on critical critical minerals, even countries
[00:12:33] countries that like United States States that are extremely rich in
[00:12:37] in resources. And are, you know,
[00:12:40] know, energy powerhouses, our supply
[00:12:42] supply chains are so globally intertwined intertwined that I think, you know,
[00:12:46] know, imagining a world where you you as a country could be fully self-reliant,
[00:12:50] self-reliant, whether it's oil and and gas, whether it's fossil or other
[00:12:53] other components, tech, tech pieces
[00:12:56] pieces as well then it's not the the world that we live in. So I think
[00:12:59] think the answer is to create resiliency, resiliency, to diversify supply chains
[00:13:03] chains as much as possible, not just
[00:13:05] just in oil and gas space, but all
[00:13:08] all across of our tech supply chains, chains, across our medical supply
[00:13:10] supply chains so that we are less less vulnerable and working with
[00:13:13] with allies. This is why it becomes
[00:13:15] becomes even more important. So we we do have optionality and we are
[00:13:18] are hit less with these massive economic
[00:13:20] economic shocks. When things do go go wrong. Well, let's go to Mexico
[00:13:24] Mexico because we're keeping across across the approach of Hurricane
[00:13:27] Hurricane Simon. This is a live look look at the Pacific coastline there,
[00:13:31] there, the powerful category four four hurricane is approaching the
[00:13:33] the Pacific coast of Mexico, bringing bringing torrential rain and maximum
[00:13:37] maximum sustained winds of up to
[00:13:40] to 240km an hour. The storm could could strengthen further before it
[00:13:43] it strikes late on Saturday night night or early Sunday morning, and
[00:13:47] and this tracker gives you a sense sense of its path. So residents on
[00:13:50] on the coast of Colima and Jalisco Jalisco have been warned that eight
[00:13:54] eight metre waves could bring storm storm surges and coastal flooding
[00:13:58] flooding further north in Sinaloa Sinaloa state. Forecasters say the
[00:14:00] the storm could dump up to 150mm
[00:14:02] 150mm of rain in a short space of
[00:14:05] of time, and Tropical Storm Rachel Rachel is brewing in the Pacific.
[00:14:08] Pacific. It's already made its presence presence felt in Long Beach, California,
[00:14:12] California, where large waves destroyed destroyed several beachside homes,
[00:14:15] homes, with local officials calling calling for residents to evacuate
[00:14:18] evacuate the area. Meanwhile, hurricane hurricane Isaias, which battered
[00:14:22] battered the Gulf Coast of the United United States on Friday night, left
[00:14:26] left four people dead. Tens of thousands thousands remain without power in
[00:14:29] in southern states and it has now
[00:14:31] now been downgraded to a post-tropical
[00:14:34] post-tropical cyclone. The US Department
[00:14:37] Department of Justice says it's investigating
[00:14:39] investigating whether TV networks networks breached federal competition
[00:14:42] competition laws when they stopped stopped broadcasting presidential
[00:14:45] presidential events last month. The
[00:14:46] The five major US TV networks temporarily
[00:14:50] temporarily suspended pooled coverage coverage of the President after the
[00:14:53] the Trump administration withdrew withdrew the credentials of reporters
[00:14:55] reporters from three news organisations, organisations, including CNN. In
[00:14:59] In a statement to the BBC, the Justice
[00:15:02] Justice Department said, quote, group
[00:15:04] group boycotts among commercial competitors competitors could violate anti-trust
[00:15:08] anti-trust laws. The television networks networks have not yet commented, commented, but at the time of the
[00:15:12] the ban, they said in a joint statement
[00:15:14] statement the public has a vital
[00:15:16] vital interest in receiving accurate, accurate, independent information information about its government.
[00:15:20] government. No administration should should restrict a news organisation
[00:15:23] organisation because it objects to
[00:15:25] to its reporting. With the US mid-term mid-term elections just over three
[00:15:29] three weeks away, the Democratic Democratic Party's most recognisable
[00:15:32] recognisable figures are hitting hitting the campaign trail in competitive
[00:15:35] competitive states. In Michigan,
[00:15:37] Michigan, Democratic Socialist Senate Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed appears
[00:15:41] appears to have a razor thin lead
[00:15:43] lead over Republican Mike Rogers.
[00:15:45] Rogers. El-Sayed was joined by Democratic Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren
[00:15:49] Warren at a campaign event in the
[00:15:51] the past few hours. Well, this is is progressive Senator Bernie Sanders.
[00:15:54] Sanders. He appeared in Maine supporting supporting Democrat Troy Jackson,
[00:15:57] Jackson, who is facing Republican Republican incumbent Senator Susan
[00:16:00] Susan Collins. With recent polling polling indicating that the Democrats
[00:16:03] Democrats could regain the House House of Representatives from the the Republicans, they'll need to
[00:16:07] to gain a net of four seats to flip
[00:16:10] flip the House. But it is a tight tight battle when it comes to control
[00:16:13] control of the Senate. Democrats Democrats will have to secure 51
[00:16:16] 51 total seats there to flip it. it. And on the Republican side, President
[00:16:20] President Trump addressed a rally rally in Tennessee on Saturday, once
[00:16:23] once again calling for his supporters
[00:16:24] supporters to vote Republican and,
[00:16:28] and, quote, "pretend I'm on the ballot". ballot". Trump has been campaigning campaigning for Republican candidates
[00:16:32] candidates across the country with with his party's control of Congress
[00:16:34] Congress and his ability to enact
[00:16:36] enact his agenda potentially at stake.
[00:16:39] stake. Now take a look at this. This
[00:16:42] This is a satellite snapshot of a a rather unusual object, a metallic
[00:16:46] metallic anomaly known as the Taraia
[00:16:48] Taraia object. Experts say it could could be key to solving one of the
[00:16:51] the biggest unsolved mysteries of of the past century the disappearance
[00:16:55] disappearance of the famed aviator
[00:16:57] aviator Amelia Earhart, a US research research team is travelling to the
[00:17:01] the remote island of Nikumaroro, Nikumaroro, near Papua New Guinea
[00:17:04] Guinea in the South Pacific to take
[00:17:06] take a closer look. Amelia Earhart
[00:17:09] Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan
[00:17:12] Noonan vanished on the 2nd of July July 1937 during a round-the-world
[00:17:14] round-the-world flight attempt. Earhart's Earhart's disappearance spawned many
[00:17:17] many theories, including conspiracies conspiracies about interference.
[00:17:21] interference. The official explanation explanation is that the plane suffered
[00:17:24] suffered communication problems, problems, and Earhart eventually eventually crashed into the ocean
[00:17:27] ocean when she ran out of fuel. Well,
[00:17:29] Well, the new expedition is a collaboration
[00:17:32] collaboration between Purdue University University and the Archaeological Archaeological Legacy Institute.
[00:17:35] Institute. And I asked Steve Schultz, Schultz, Purdue senior Vice President,
[00:17:39] President, and Rick Pettigrew, president president of the Archaeological Legacy
[00:17:43] Legacy Institute, what they've found
[00:17:44] found so far in their expedition. Well, there's something
[00:17:48] something to be seen in the lagoon
[00:17:50] lagoon in satellite imagery and in
[00:17:52] in other images as well that really really shouldn't be there. It's a
[00:17:56] a big object, looks like a big metal
[00:17:58] metal object in, in the northern northern part of the lagoon that
[00:18:02] that that's the other thing where
[00:18:03] where we have plenty of other evidence
[00:18:07] evidence pointing to the that this
[00:18:09] this was the island where Amelia Amelia Earhart and navigator ended
[00:18:12] ended up. There's
[00:18:17] Navigator ended up. There's plenty of evidence pointing to that that island and then seeing this
[00:18:20] this object in the lagoon. But it it could very well be records of
[00:18:23] of the Electra aircraft that do combined combined with the earlier images
[00:18:27] images that we have give US, I think, think, a pretty good idea that this
[00:18:30] this might actually be the wreckage.
[00:18:32] wreckage. Knowing what we know from from the images and other evidence
[00:18:36] evidence that we have pointing to to this island, somebody has to go
[00:18:38] go and look at this thing to find
[00:18:41] find out if it actually is the right. right. And we are actually taking
[00:18:44] taking a look. We were just taking taking a look at that image on our
[00:18:47] our screen. Just as you were talking. talking. So Rick, when you get there
[00:18:51] there and you're able to have a look
[00:18:52] look at it, how will you try to establish establish whether what is called
[00:18:56] called a metallic anomaly is actually
[00:18:59] actually linked to Earhart's aircraft?
[00:19:02] aircraft? Well, the first thing we we have to do is to actually reach
[00:19:06] reach the site. In order to do that, that, we have to ashore and cut our
[00:19:10] our way through the forest, through through the lagoon, brings the boats
[00:19:14] boats around into the lagoon and and then use them to cross a little
[00:19:17] little to the site which is alongside alongside the trial. Once we moved
[00:19:21] moved all our people and our equipment equipment to that location, they
[00:19:25] they will begin a process of examining examining site first with remote
[00:19:29] remote sensing instruments such as
[00:19:31] as magnetometers and sonar. Once Once we've done that and we have
[00:19:34] have a really good idea of exactly exactly where it is, how deep the
[00:19:38] the sediment cover is on it, then then we'll do use a hydraulic dredge
[00:19:41] dredge to remove sediment from it it sufficiently to actually get a
[00:19:45] a look at it. Once we get a look look at it and see what it is, I
[00:19:49] I think we'll be able to determine determine whether or not this is
[00:19:52] is actually wreckage of the Electra Electra aircraft. And Steve, the
[00:19:56] the prevailing theory is that her her plane ran out of fuel. It crashed
[00:19:59] crashed in the ocean. I mean, is is there evidence that Earhart may
[00:20:02] may have reached the island instead? instead? That's what a lot of people
[00:20:06] people want to know. There's a lot lot of evidence that's been developed
[00:20:09] developed since the late 80s, led
[00:20:11] led by an organisation called the
[00:20:13] the Institute for Historic Aircraft
[00:20:15] Aircraft Recovery, or TIGHAR and
[00:20:18] and they have developed this castaway castaway hypothesis. And Rick's actually
[00:20:22] actually been on a prior expedition
[00:20:24] expedition with TIGHAR. And there's
[00:20:27] there's lots of evidence, both contemporaneous
[00:20:30] contemporaneous radio bearing information,
[00:20:34] information, actual radio transmissions, transmissions, artefact evidence evidence that's been gathered on
[00:20:36] on the island for more than 30 years. years. Bones were found there in
[00:20:40] in 1940. Artefacts that are traced
[00:20:44] traced to a female from the 1930s,
[00:20:47] 1930s, including a compact case, case, a shoe, a flight jacket zipper
[00:20:51] zipper that very closely matches matches Amelia's flight jacket. So
[00:20:55] So all of that is a body of evidence evidence that is very compelling.
[00:20:57] compelling. It's a very strong circumstantial circumstantial case. I like to say
[00:21:01] say as a lawyer and what has never never been found is the smoking gun.
[00:21:05] gun. And that's what Rick is trying trying to establish with the Taraia
[00:21:08] Taraia Object hypothesis. And we're we're very honoured as Purdue University
[00:21:12] University to come in alongside and and support Rick and Archaeological
[00:21:15] Archaeological Legacy Institute because because for US, the story is a bit
[00:21:19] bit personal. Amelia was a boilermaker. boilermaker. She was an adjunct professor,
[00:21:23] professor, career counsellor for
[00:21:24] for women on our campus and our affiliated
[00:21:28] affiliated organisation, Purdue Research Research Foundation, actually funded
[00:21:31] funded the Electra, helped gave it it to gave money to her in the form
[00:21:34] form of a research grant that she she used to develop the experimental
[00:21:38] experimental long range aircraft aircraft that she called her flying flying laboratory. So this gives
[00:21:42] gives us a chance. Alongside Rick
[00:21:44] Rick to help complete her story.
[00:21:46] story. Steve, as you know, people
[00:21:48] people have been speculating about
[00:21:51] about this for decades. You certainly certainly have some fascinating lines
[00:21:55] lines of investigation as you look look for that smoking gun. But no
[00:21:58] no one's really been successful so so far. I mean, what makes you think
[00:22:01] think that you'll be successful this
[00:22:03] this time around? Well, I'll let
[00:22:06] let Rick give the more complete answer.
[00:22:09] answer. But just it's just very persuasive. persuasive. Again, the body of evidence
[00:22:12] evidence that already existed. But
[00:22:15] But now this evidence that's visible visible to the plane I from satellite
[00:22:19] satellite imagery that very closely
[00:22:20] closely resembles a plane and it's
[00:22:24] it's corroborated by contemporaneous contemporaneous aerial photographs photographs from 1938 that indicate
[00:22:27] indicate an anomaly was very close close to the Taraia Object even back
[00:22:31] back that long ago. And then Rick Rick can talk about a helicopter
[00:22:34] helicopter flyover video that was was taken in 2001 that indicates
[00:22:38] indicates that a metallic object object was there, right in the same
[00:22:40] same spot in the lagoon. Rick, tell
[00:22:42] tell us about that. We have visual
[00:22:46] visual evidence, not only the satellite,
[00:22:48] satellite, which cover a period from
[00:22:51] from 2015 up until the present day,
[00:22:55] day, pointing to this object. And And then you go back to 2001. TIGHAR
[00:22:58] TIGHAR saw a video of a helicopter
[00:23:02] helicopter back in 2001 and that that they happened to pass directly
[00:23:05] directly over this location. And And in that video. There is a reflection
[00:23:08] reflection that appeared very briefly,
[00:23:10] briefly, but at that exact location. location. But it was a reflection
[00:23:14] reflection from the bottom of the the lagoon. Again, that's the same
[00:23:17] same precise location, the orientation orientation of the object was precisely
[00:23:20] precisely the same as what we see see in the other imagery. And then
[00:23:24] then as Steve said, we can go back
[00:23:26] back to 1938 with New Zealand aerial aerial photographs pointing to an
[00:23:30] an object that was there. We see see the same thing from two opposite
[00:23:33] opposite directions in the island
[00:23:34] island and not just the
[00:23:39] photograph. Well. I think we really really have to go look at those things. things. I mean, you're going to a
[00:23:42] a remote island. You're there on on a ship right now. What's your
[00:23:45] your journey been like and what will will it be like when you get there?
[00:23:49] there? Quite literally, how do you you get to this area to investigate
[00:23:52] investigate what you need to investigate?
[00:23:56] investigate? Well, I mean, we're we're facing some rough rather than
[00:23:59] than right now gives us some concern.
[00:24:03] concern. We're making progress toward toward the island. We expect to be be travelling for another day and
[00:24:07] and a half or so. We'll see what
[00:24:08] what it looks like when we get there.
[00:24:12] there. We're going to be going ashore ashore when we as soon as we can,
[00:24:15] can, assuming that the weather is is suitable, we won't be going ashore
[00:24:19] ashore if weather is dangerous for for us to go through. But you know
[00:24:23] know we're ready for anything. We're
[00:24:26] We're prepared to handle rough weather weather as long as we can get ashore.
[00:24:29] ashore. Once we get ashore, we'll we'll do all of our plan, cut our
[00:24:32] our way through the forest and the the revealing and so forth. So I
[00:24:35] I you know, we're going to stay on on our plan. And one thing we're
[00:24:39] we're undeterred. We're not going going to be turning back because
[00:24:43] because of the weather. We've gotten gotten this far. We're going to take
[00:24:47] take this all the way. And it probably probably should be pointed out that
[00:24:50] that we are self-sustained. I mean, mean, when we left Tarawa, we are
[00:24:54] are an entity unto ourselves on this
[00:24:55] this vessel. It is a working vessel.
[00:24:58] vessel. It serves our purposes. And And our needs very, very nicely.
[00:25:02] nicely. But it's not a pleasure cruise. cruise. So we're just dealing with
[00:25:05] with the typical conditions of living living and working. We've got a lot
[00:25:08] lot of work to do. We have a lot lot of equipment that we had to inventory,
[00:25:12] inventory, take out and test. Fortunately, Fortunately, all that equipment,
[00:25:15] equipment, even though it was transported transported from Eugene, Oregon,
[00:25:18] Oregon, and Pensacola, Florida, it's it's all working. So that's good.
[00:25:21] good. But we have a lot of rehearsing
[00:25:23] rehearsing to do, a lot of planning planning to do to carefully orchestrate
[00:25:26] orchestrate the activities that we'll we'll have to undertake as we make
[00:25:29] make the most use of our time on
[00:25:31] on the island. And allow me. To mention
[00:25:33] mention that we are on a vessel of
[00:25:35] of the Kiribati line. So we are working
[00:25:38] working with a crew from Kiribati.
[00:25:41] Kiribati. The island belongs to their their country and we're working with
[00:25:44] with their people, and I want to to acknowledge that we are forming
[00:25:46] forming a team with them. This is is a co-operative effort between
[00:25:49] between us and the people of
[00:25:53] German. Well, certainly a fascinating fascinating endeavour. All the best best to them. Do stay with us here
[00:25:57] here on BBC News. I'll see you soon.
[00:27:37] Dhabi, some misty mornings.
[00:29:56] online at bbc.com/business to get get the latest news wherever you
[00:29:58] you are. Business on BBC News. Make
[00:30:02] Make the connection. MUSIC
[00:30:13] MUSIC On On BBC News. Sandra Maksimovic reports
[00:30:16] reports on Serbia's student led anti-corruption anti-corruption protests. Plus the
[00:30:20] the growing debate over AI safety.
[00:30:23] safety. Global Eye.
[00:30:45] Hello and welcome to Global Eye. A programme that brings you
[00:30:48] you hard hitting investigations and and tales of hope and resilience
[00:30:53] resilience from teams across the
[00:30:55] the BBC World Service. I'm Sandra
[00:30:57] Sandra Maksimovic and this week we we are in Serbia.