Threads for discussion;
1. If it appears that Mr. Noonan may indeed be resting beneath the Cairn stones, has TIGHAR been granted permission by the Kiribati Govt. to excavate? Or will they have to rely on XRAY, SONAR, etc. to determine the likelihood of human remains?
2. If bones are found, as a DNA match is problematic, I would imagine it isn’t so much a matter of what the bones are, so much as “What the Bones Are Wearing”, i.e. – metal fragments, belt buckles, or ideally, an engraved watch with the inscription “ Best of luck Fred Noonan on your around the world flight with Amelia Earhart” ? ( BTW – To Tom King – If indeed you do find Fred this go around, feel free to use the phrase “What the Bones were Wearing” as the title for your next book.
3. Finally, does the ROV have a tracking and/or mapping mechanism to assist with the systematic search of the ocean floor, or is it more a ‘point, click and hope’?