I saw that. Ok---Not discounting the landing theory, but we know the B17 went down in the Phoenix Group because of a navigational error, and ran out of fuel. We know they drifed in a raft for 20+ days, and were found near Fiji, Samoa, somewhere 500+ miles away.
Apparently the plane did not break up on ditching, even though the swells were pretty large. So we have an 'intact' B17, that does have "some(?)" bouyancy after it submerges. So, I guess for it to have made it to the Niku reef, it would have to have drifted quite a ways underwater, becoming less bouyant as the fuselege fills with water. The ocean bottom is pretty deep in the area around Niku, but is there a possiblity that maybe it 'found' Winslow Reef, or Candolet Reef, and after a preiod of time, and storms, found itself on Niku?
Anything is possible, but in this case even I would say not real likely. I say lets let Mike and the Phoenix guys do their survey, find the wreckage ( a wing or tail with NR16020 on it would be really nice!) and then we will know if we need to be thinking about alternate aircraft wreckage.
Then, the archaeologists can find her!