New evidence could finally solve 86-year mystery of Amelia Earhart's disappearance

Amelia Earhart's disappearance has captivated the world for close to 90 years, with new tidbits still coming out about the aviator to this day.

In the 1930s, Earhart made history as the first woman to make a solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean, catapulting her to fame for her incredible achievement.

She went on to become an advocate for equal rights for women and helped establish the Ninety Nines, an organization supporting female pilots.

But in 1937, the aviation expert went missing during an attempt to circumnavigate the globe by air, with Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan going missing over the Pacific Ocean - their bodies and aircraft were never recovered.

After an extensive search, Earhart was pronounced dead in 1939 - though there has long been speculation and conspiracy theories as to what happened to her.

Some claimed Earhart and Noonan had died in the ocean after their plane went down in the sea, whereas others believe they managed to land on a Pacific island and died there

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Some have even suggested they were captured and executed by the Japanese.

Many believed that a breakthrough came last year as an aluminium panel washed up on Nikumaroro island, which looked like it had the chance to be at one point attached to Earhart's plane.

However, analysis done since has all but confirmed that the panel was never attached to the aircraft Earhart was on, instead being part of a plane that crashed in World War II six years later.

However, there has now been a more recent development which provides some hope for answers.

As reported by the Daily Mail, forensic analysis is currently ongoing on a new image which experts think shows an engine cover buried underwater close to Nikumaroro.

Obviously, there is no guarantee that the cover is from Earhart's plane, but there is certainly hope that the latest findings can provide some answers.

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Ric Gillespie, executive director of The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR), has been searching for answers for answers for a while.

Speaking to the Mail, Gillespie said that a forensic imaging specialist is currently analysing an underwater picture taken during an expedition to Nikumaroro back in 2009.

He told the paper: "There is an object in the photo that appears to be a Lockheed Electra engine cowling.

"The similarity to an engine cowling and prop shaft was not noticed until years later and the exact location was not noted at the time, which meant attempts to re-locate the object were unsuccessful."

While confirmation the cover was part of the Earhart's may not provide answers as to what happened to the aviation legend, it could potentially confirm or rule out certain speculation.